1 of 2 cars involved in deadly crash near Lethbridge was driving wrong way on highway: RCMP

Coaldale RCMP confirm one person has died in a head-on crash involving two cars near Lethbridge.

It happened at about 5 p.m. on Monday in the westbound lanes of Highway 3 near the Highway 509 intersection.

Mounties told Global News a car was travelling in the wrong direction when it collided with an oncoming car.

The RCMP said the driver of the westbound car, a 42-year-old man from Stand Off, Alta., has died.

READ MORE: Family identifies 3 seniors killed in crash near Lethbridge

“Unfortunately, the driver a male is now deceased. [He was] declared deceased at the hospital,” RCMP Sgt. Glenn Henry said.

“The passenger was… [a] 12-year-old female — she has minor injuries,” Henry said. “She’s been taken to the hospital as well for treatment and [is] obviously in shock for this absolutely terrible event.”

A stretch of Highway 3 was briefly closed following the crash but a westbound lane along the shoulder was later opened.

The restricted traffic flow was needed to allow the RCMP’s collision analysts to piece together what happened.

Mounties said alcohol or drugs have not been ruled out, but they stressed they are in the early stages of their investigation.

“We’ll look at all those possibilities to try to determine why somebody would drive in the wrong direction on Highway 3 at 5 p.m. when it’s really busy,” Henry said.

READ MORE: 1 dead, 3 injured in rollover crash near Grassy Lake, Alta.

RCMP said the 61-year-old man who was driving the car travelling in the wrong direction was also taken to hospital as a precaution.

The name of the man who died has not been released.