Dashcam video shows semi plowing into snowmobiler during Manitoba snowstorm

Bob Scott says he's thankful to be alive after he was slammed into by a semi-trailer while on his snowmobile in the middle of a snow-covered southern Manitoba highway Tuesday.

"I'm fine," said the Alexander, Man., resident from the hospital in Brandon on Wednesday evening. "I have a broken arm and a broken leg and just a lot of bumps and bruises. They had to put pins and stuff into my forearm but other than that I'm fine."

The lifelong snowmobiler was out delivering fuel, food and blankets to drivers stranded on the Trans-Canada Highway by a winter storm when his snowmobile spun out into the road, he said. He didn't see the semi coming as it barrelled towards him through the blowing snow on a highway that had been closed since the previous evening.

"We turned to go back up the other side [of the road] just to make sure everyone was still OK, and, next thing [I] know I kind of spun out on the road and then, semi hit me," he said.

Scott said he doesn't know how long he'll be in the hospital, but he's grateful his injuries weren't fatal.

"I'm very thankful, yeah. Someone was definitely watching over me yesterday, that's for sure," he added.

'It happened really fast'

Francis Lavigne-Theriault says he was shocked as he watched from his car the semi careen into Scott, knocking another snowmobiler into the ditch.

The avid storm chaser and University of Manitoba meteorology student was pulled over on the Trans-Canada Highway near Alexander, Man. when the massive eastbound truck appeared amid blowing snow.

Lavigne-Theriault was live-streaming the entire event over the noon hour Tuesday and was caught off guard by the crash. He said he tried to warn other drivers travelling on the highway about the incident.

"I was basically positioned in a way with all my hazard lights [on] to signal people that were coming that there was an emergency going on," Lavigne-Theriault said.  "You can see in the video it's super icy as well, and so it happened really fast."

The truck driver was going a little bit too fast for conditions.- Francis Lavigne-Theriault

RCMP arrived on the scene shortly after the crash, Lavigne-Theriault said.

Lavigne-Theriault said strong winds whipped up snow and made for treacherous driving conditions in the area.

"The truck driver was going a little bit too fast for conditions," he said.

'I lived it. I don't need to see it.'

Terry Shaw, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, said he hasn't seen the footage but believes the same rules about driving with caution during inclement weather apply to all drivers.

"I think all road users need to use their best judgement," he said. "On the whole, our industry is safe but these situations present challenges for all road users and we understand and appreciate how challenging they can be."

Scott said he hasn't seen the video, either.

"I lived it. I don't need to see it," he said.

He said he hopes drivers slow down during storms in the future.

"Just people gotta slow down when there's guys out there trying to help people," he said. "Driving too fast, it causes injuries. And it's not very often people actually see the video of someone actually getting hit. So, definitely not something I would want anyone else to have to go through."

Manitoba has been plagued by road and school closures since Monday as a winter storm swept through the province, dumping loads of snow and knocking out power in several communities.

• Manitoba emerges from storm that spanned 3 days, left massive drifts
• Snowmobiles provide rescue, deliveries: Manitobans step up during blizzard

Winnipeg emerged from the storm relatively snow-free, but it was a different story nearer to the scene of the crash between the semi-trailer and snowmobile.

In Brandon, about 200 kilometres west of Winnipeg, 41 centimetres of snow fell on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Several highway drivers in the southwest of the province were forced to pull over and spend Tuesday night in a school gymnasium in Alexander, about 225 km west of Winnipeg. The Trans-Canada Highway reopened Wednesday in southwestern Manitoba as conditions improved.