Saskatchewan man charged after fatal multi-vehicle crash in Manitoba

A 56-year-old trucker from Saskatchewan is facing charges after two people were killed and 15 others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on a Manitoba highway.

In a media release, the Manitoba RCMP said the crash happened Thursday at about 11:50 a.m., on Highway 2 about three kilometres east of Fannystelle. That town is about 55 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

The Mounties say several vehicles were stopped at a marked construction zone in which work was being done. As the vehicles waited to drive through the construction zone, an eastbound semi didn’t stop and drove into the vehicles.

The crash ultimately involved two semis, five passenger vehicles and a motorcycle.

A seven-year-old girl from Winnipeg and a 61-year-old man from the RM of St. Andrews in Manitoba were pronounced dead at the scene. The girl was a passenger in one of the vehicles, while the man was riding the motorcycle.

Of the 15 people who were injured, six were taken to hospital. Three of those people since have been released.

A 22-year-old woman and two girls, ages 10 and 14, are in hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the semi was arrested and charged with three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm and two counts each of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death and criminal negligence causing death.

The Carman RCMP is continuing to investigate.