Ponoka News Staff
A home fire in the early morning hours of Sept. 22 has police investigating.
At approximately 6:00 a.m. the Ponoka RCMP and Ponoka Fire Department were dispatched to a residential structure fire on the 5500 block of 53rd Street in the north end of Ponoka.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire but the residence suffered severe damage. No one was located inside the residence at the time of the blaze and a preliminary investigation indicates that the fire may have been deliberately set.
PFD Fire Chief Jamie Wilkinson said upon arrival, there was smoke and fire on the main floor and basement level. “The worst damage was in the kitchen.”
Police and forensic analysts continue to investigate this incident.
Ponoka man dies in collision
On Sept.25 Ponoka RCMP responded to a single vehicle collision on Hwy 792 west of Ponoka.
The vehicle was located in the ditch of the highway on its roof. The driver, a 22-year-old man from the Ponoka area, was ejected from the vehicle and succumbed to his injuries.
He did not appear to be wearing his seat belt. The driver was the only vehicle occupant and the cause of the collision is still under investigation.
Semi tractor sideswipes parked vehicle
On Sept. 22 at approximately 9:40 a.m. a two vehicle collision occurred on Highway 2.
A female driver had to pull over into the shoulder on the west side of the highway when it was hit by a semi tractor. The semi driver stated that he did not have room to move over and clear the parked vehicle and ended up side swiping it with the right side of his trailer.
The female driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The semi driver and the female driver were both charged in this incident.
Impaired driver at Check Stop
On Sept. 24 at approximately midnight, members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit were conducting a Check Stop on Highway 2A at the intersection of 50 Street in Ponoka. A southbound car was pulled over and police members asked the driver to exit the vehicle.
The driver appeared to be very unsteady on his feet. The driver was placed under arrest for impaired driving. He was charged with Impaired Driving, Drive Over .08 and Drive While Unauthorized.
Unknown injuries in collision
On Sept. 24 at approximately 9:45 p.m. the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit members were dispatched to a single motor vehicle rollover.
The vehicle was southbound on Highway 2 and had taken the off ramp lane at a high rate of speed. The vehicle had gone through the guardrail, which caused the vehicle to vault and roll upon landing. Two female occupants were trapped in the vehicle.
The fire department removed the roof of the vehicle and extricated the two occupants. Both women were taken to the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre with undetermined injuries.
If you have information about these incidents, please call the Ponoka RCMP at 403-783-4472 or call your local police department. If you want to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), by internet at www.tipsubmit.com or by SMS (check your local Crime Stoppers www.crimestoppers.ab.ca for instructions).