Slippery, crash-filled morning includes 2 fatal crashes in the Ottawa Valley
Police say there have been several serious Monday morning crashes in snowy, icy weather, including two fatal collisions in Petawawa and near Shawville.
An unidentified driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the Petawawa crash, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a news release.
The cause of that collision between a tractor-trailer and passenger vehicle around 6:30 a.m. near Black Bay Road is under investigation.
Highway 17 is closed in both directions between Black Bay and Doran Road, south of the town centre and military base.
Quebec provincial police said a head-on crash on route 148 east of Shawville just before 7 a.m. left one person dead and two others injured.
That road was closed just east of chemin Hodgins until around noon.
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Messy roads in the capital
Highway 417 in Ottawa and Highway 50 in Gatineau, Que., saw crash after crash as a blast of snow hit Monday morning's rush hour.
OPP acting Sgt. Erin Cranton said police responded to at least a dozen crashes on Highway 417 alone, including a pileup near Bronson Avenue. The highway was briefly closed westbound near that exit.
None of the crashes caused serious injuries, she said. Ottawa paramedics confirmed one person was taken to hospital in stable condition because of a crash near Island Park Drive.
Two crashes happened in opposite directions near the Jackie Holzman Bridge over Highway 417 in Ottawa April 3, 2023. (Ministry of Transportation)
Drivers should avoid Highway 417 if they can and use extra caution on other roads, she said. Black ice has been reported to police.
"Officers are very busy," said Cranton just after 8 a.m. Monday. "We're asking for everyone's patience."
In a tweet just before 9 a.m., Ottawa police said 19 crashes had been reported on city roads since 6 a.m.
This article was originally published for CBC News. Contains files from Laura Glowacki.