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UPDATE: Occupants of vehicle that ploughed into City Park are safe, driver remains unidentified

(UPDATE: 2:15 p.m.) - In an ongoing investigation into the motor vehicle collision in Kelowna City Park on Sunday evening, police have not yet determined the identity of the occupant operating the vehicle.

On June 17, at approximately 7 p.m., Kelowna RCMP and members of the Kelowna Municipal Traffic Services responded to a single vehicle collision at the end of Harvey Avenue

RCMP estimate from eyewitness accounts that the car was travelling in a dangerous manner at a speed of about 150km/h. Alcohol has also been confirmed as a factor in the incident.

Evidence at the scene suggests the driver lost control of the vehicle when attempting to navigate the left-hand curve on the roadway near Abbott Street before skidding 200-feet and leaving the roadway.

Police report that after leaving the roadway, the vehicle ploughed through nearby shrubbery to damage a light standard, destroy 100-feet of chainlink fencing, roll down an embankment and shear off an electrical box during the catastrophic accident.

The vehicle came to a rest with its rear end wedged against a tree. Debris and vehicle parts were scattered across a 200-foot area in the field.

Police have identified the three vehicle occupants who were present at the scene when RCMP arrived.

“None of the occupants aged 25, 32 and 32 were wearing seatbelts and, miraculously, did not suffer any life-threatening injuries," says Cst. Lesley Smith, Kelowna RCMP.

"It was also extremely lucky that no one else was involved in the collision as that location is highly populated with motor vehicle traffic and pedestrians.”

Matt Hayhurst, co-owner and Royal Rally organizer, confirmed that the vehicle was a part of the Royal Rally weekend event.

However, Hayhurst stated that "the incident occurred outside of the planned scavenger hunt portion of the event . . . on the driver's own time."

More information will be reported as it becomes available.

(UPDATE: 9:33 p.m.) - Marley Moon Olfert was with his sister and father longboarding northward through City Park on a path parallel to Highway 97 at 7 p.m. when they saw a large dust plume ahead. After turning the corner they saw a demolished wreck and passengers climbing out of a vehicle.

According to Olfert, the driver of the obliterated Dodge Hellcat was not the owner of the car.

"The owner of the Hellcat said they were out for drinks while they were in Kelowna," Olfert said in a message to KelownaNow.

"Him, his girlfriend and cousin said they should call a cab to get to wherever they were going. Somebody he didn’t know (who was wearing a Royal Rally hoodie) said they didn’t need a cab because he was good to drive. The owner of the vehicle handed this guy his keys to the Hellcat and they headed off together."

"He left downtown speeding onto the highway, lost control of the vehicle, hit the curb, spun and flipped in the air hitting a lamppost, taking out chain link fencing and nearly missing a fire hydrant before coming to a halt as the rear of the vehicle hit a tree in the park. The point of impact to the location they ended up was around 50ft," Olfert added.

Bystanders near the accident told Olfert that the driver had left the scene in a sprint, leaving the three passengers behind.

Of the three passengers, the owner appeared to have sustained no injuries, the cousin of the owner was bleeding from his head and the owner's girlfriend had injuries to her wrists, Olfert explained.

The passengers were dazed and groggy for a few minutes before the ambulance arrived on scene to assist them, followed closely by the Kelowna Fire department and Kelowna RCMP.

Though not a driver in the tour himself, Olfert talked to some of those involved.

"They’re all very upset by this happening. The point of the event is not to 'race' but to enjoy a scavenger hunt activity while utilizing their supercars on an extended trip," explained Olfert.

"The event itself is not a bad thing, there was just a bad decision made by a careless person that could have caused even more harm than it did."

Olfert said no bystanders were injured by the accident.

(Original Story: 8:30 p.m.) - Residents walking through City Park last night may have stumbled onto the crumpled carcass of a black four-door car with its rear wrapped around the trunk of a tree.

Instagram post from Marley Moon Olfert

A KelownaNow reader stated that the vehicle appeared to have been driving over the William R. Bennett bridge at excessive speeds before smashing through the fence and rolling into the city parking lot to rest against a tree.

The onlooker estimates that the accident took place before 8 p.m. The car is reported to be a Dodge Charger Hellcat.

<who>Photo Credit: Contributed</who>

Several KelownaNow readers have claimed that the car was apart of a Royal Rally car tour, one of which noted it had departed from Calgary on June 16 and is touring through the Okanagan before returning back to Alberta.

A decal from the Royal Rally group can be spotted on the front right fender of the vehicle, as well as the name of the tour, Overdrive, pasted onto the passenger-side door.

<who>Photo Credit: Contributed</who>

The event is advertised by Royal Rally as “supercharged scavenger-hunts on wheels,” but is explicit in stating that it is not a race.

The car was severely damaged with both tires on the right side of the car dismounted from the vehicle.

<who>Photo Credit: Contributed</who>

Kelowna RCMP were unable to comment on the incident but did say that the investigation is ongoing and that speed was a factor in the crash.



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