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Fatal crash now called ‘suspicious’ as homicide team takes over

*This story has been updated.
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A woman is dead after a fatal crash Friday night.

*This story has been updated.

The circumstances of a collision on Barnet Highway last night are being called "suspicious" by Burnaby RCMP, and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has now joined the investigation of the crash that claimed the life of a female passenger and seriously injured the male driver.

Traffic on Barnet highway was finally opened at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

When police arrived on scene, they found the man unconscious and the woman ejected from the car. Both were taken to hospital, where the woman died of her injuries.  

IHIT has been on scene throughout the day, and the Barnet Highway from Ridge Drive to Reed Point Way has been closed. 

The crash happened in an eastbound lane of Barnet Highway, just past Texaco Drive at 9:45 p.m.

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SHANE MACKICHAN

An SUV knocked two two light standards and ended up in a ditch. The male driver was trapped and Burnaby firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate him.

Just as they were removing him from the wreckage, an unresponsive female was located in the ditch 30 feet from the crash site. 

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Barnet Highways was blocked in both directions. SHANE MACKICHAN

Crews immediately removed her from the ditch and started CPR. She was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, but has since died.

Burnaby RCMP say they believe the man and woman knew each other and there is no risk to public safety.

As of 2:30 p.m., Barnet Hwy was still closed eastbound after being closed in both directions for several hours from Ridge Drive to Reed Point Way while the RCMP and IHIT investigated the incident.

At around 11 a.m., traffic was still travelling east along Barnet Highway at speeds reaching up to 70 kilometres per hour, but they came to a halt at Reed Point Way and were directed to pull a sharp U-turn and head back to Port Moody and find an alternate route to Burnaby.

At the other end, eastbound traffic was redirected off Barnet Highway onto Ridge Drive which leads to Hastings Street. Pedestrians and cyclists were also being turned around at both ends.

A sign at the bus stop on Barnet at Ridge stated that the 160 bus had been rerouted to Hastings Street because of an MVA.

 

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Vehicles are being turned away on Barnet Highway. - MARIA RANTANEN