FATAL CRASH
Car submerged in Big Creek
A driver who was pulled from a vehicle submerged in Big Creek Sunday morning after a single-car crash on County Road 42 has been pronounced dead at hospital. OPP shut down County Road 42 between the Gracey Side Road and Highway 401 in Lakeshore after police and Lakeshore firefighters responded to the 9:25 a.m. crash. Police said a vehicle travelling eastbound on Essex County Road 42 left the roadway, hit a hydro pole and ended up submerged in Big Creek. The driver was pulled from the vehicle that was in the creek on the south side of the road by the bridge over Big Creek. The driver was rushed to hospital. Police are not releasing any more information on the driver until next of kin are notified. Emergency personnel rushed to the scene including a dive team, the Lakeshore fire department, Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services, and EMS. The creek is wide — about 15 metres across — in that area.
Hydro workers were also called to the scene and were working on the lines in an aerial bucket truck by the accident.
The OPP technical collision investigation team was expected to remain at the scene for several hours Sunday afternoon to investigate the cause of the crash. Essex County Road 42 between Gracey Sideroad and Highway 401 was to remain closed until the investigation at the scene was completed, OPP said in a news release The OPP is asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash to contact the investigating officer, Const. Lisa Whitelaw, at 1-888310-1122.