Alberta man faces charges after orange-zone crash near Blaine Lake

The man behind the wheel of a semi-tractor trailer faces multiple charges after causing a four-vehicle crash near Blaine Lake in June.

John Woloshyniuk, 49, of Sherwood Park, Alta., is charged with dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention and exceeding 60 kilometres per hour while passing highway workers.

The crash happened on June 10, about five kilometres east of Blaine Lake on Highway 40. Two people with minor injuries were taken to Shellbrook Hospital.

Someone close to the crash tells News Talk Radio three cars were lined up stopped by a flag-person waiting to pass through the orange zone on Highway 40, when a semi-truck slammed into the back of the third vehicle, causing a chain-reaction of collisions.

Blaine Lake and Shellbrook RCMP were at the scene as of 10:30 p.m., re-routing traffic through the area for several hours. The highway re-opened at around 2:30 a.m.

The ministry of highways said they’re undertaking an internal investigation by labour relations and workplace safety.

This is the second orange-zone crash this year. In May three teenagers driving home from a football camp were killed in a construction-zone crash. Families of the dead teenagers called the provincial government to put speed bumps on the road approaching work zones.

The province said they are considering it.

Woloshyniuk will appear in Blaine Lake Provincial Court on Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.