Whitehorse resident describes weekend crash
Wild ride through family neighbourhood leaves downed tree, damaged vehicles, and concerned residents
The weekend saw a number of car accidents in Whitehorse, including one in Porter Creek that left behind extensive property damage early Sunday morning.
It appears a vehicle swerved off the road on Ponderosa Drive and took out a 15-foot tree before slamming into two parked vehicles. The vehicle and driver did not remain at the scene.
Jen Olson is a resident of Ponderosa Drive. She and her husband awoke to the sound of a loud crash early Sunday morning, saying it sounded like a strong gust of wind blowing through the yard.
She went outside to check on the commotion.
"It looked like a vehicle came around the bend and missed the turn... and drove right through our trees. [It] took down a 15-foot tree, got some air, landed in the neighbour's yard and broadsided their truck," Olson said.
'Shook up the neighbourhood'
Olson said her neighbour's truck was hit so hard it was pinned against another vehicle parked beside it.
She said there doesn't appear to be any sign of brake marks at the scene of the collision.
"What is really scary for a lot of us is that if it would've be an hour or two later maybe our kids would've been playing in our yard, someone really could've got hurt, could've been killed."
Olson said neighbours began searching the neighbourhood for the driver after a vehicle was seen slowly leaving the scene.
"We called the police and they came and checked it out. Yeah, so, it really shook up the neighbourhood", Olson said.
"The amount of speed that car had going around that curve, you know, if they took out a 15-foot tree then a person would not have had a chance."
Chronic speeding
Olson said it's an area where people often drive too fast. She describes the area as a family-oriented neighbourhood, with lots of young families and children.
She would like to see the city do something about speeding vehicles in the Ponderosa area. She hopes to see a speed bump put in, as well as signs installed to remind drivers to slow down in the neighbourhood as children may be playing nearby.
"At the end of the street people get a lot of speed going by a playground zone. So, it would be great if there were some safety precautions."
Olson is urging anyone with information to report it to the police.
The RCMP are investigating the incident but currently have no other details to add for now.