No arrests 6 months after North Vancouver overpass crash

It’s been exactly six months since a big rig crashed into the Main Street overpass in North Vancouver leaving behind damage and tying up traffic for hours, and yet, no one has been held accountable for the crash.

The company involved, Whistler Courier & Freightways tells CityNews via email that it has made policy and procedure changes to hiring, keeping records, management, and safety.

The company adds, “Criminal records checks were part of the hiring process before the updates were made. We dig deeper into past employment now.”

However, the company did not confirm how much money it lost or how its business has been affected since the crash.

Soon after the crash, the identity of the driver was given to the Ministry of Transportation’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) department, which has been handling the case, but the carrier says government investigators have yet to follow up with them.

The ministry says its focus was only ever on the carrier.

“CVSE’s investigation into the Sept. 19 incident only focused on the carrier and their responsibilities under the Motor Vehicle Act/Regulation. Any questions relating to the driver involved in this incident should be referred to the RCMP,” it said in a statement to CityNews.

The North Vancouver RCMP tells CityNews it has nothing to add to previous statements regarding the file.

Overpass crashes have been an ongoing headline in the Lower Mainland. So much so, the provincial government took action earlier this month by proposing legislation that would see fines increased to $100,000 for the companies involved and up to 18 months in jail upon conviction of a driver.

In December, the B.C. government raised the highest penalty allowed under current law from $100 to $500.

There have been nearly three dozen overpass strikes reported in the last two years.