Highway crash between heavy-duty crane truck, delivery van sends one to hospital

Cochrane RCMP respond to a serious crash on the Trans-Canada Highway on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (Jaclyn Brown)

Cochrane RCMP are investigating a serious crash on the Trans-Canada Highway that sent one person to hospital.

Police say the two-vehicle collision happened in the westbound lanes of Highway 1 at Jumping Pound Road on Friday around 7:30 a.m.

"It was reported that a heavy-duty crane truck was westbound on Highway 1, approaching a hill. The weight of the vehicle prompted the driver to slow while attempting to crest the hill with its hazard lights on. The heavy-duty crane truck was not successful in cresting the hill and sat stationary on the roadway," Mounties said in a release later Friday evening.

"A second vehicle, a delivery van rear ended the crane truck, while the crane operator was out of the vehicle setting up hazard pylons around the crane truck."

The van's driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital in Calgary.

The truck's driver was not injured.

RCMP diverted traffic around the crash for a time and asked drivers to avoid the area.