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Woman killed in crash on Wellington Crescent, police confirm

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11/1/2012 1:11 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 11/1/2012 8:37 PM | Updates

Winnipeg firefighters at the Wellington Crescent crash scene Thursday afternoon. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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Emergency personnel at the scene of a collision on Wellington Crescent. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Winnipeg police have confirmed a 17-year-old girl was killed in the single-vehicle crash on Wellington Crescent this afternoon.

The 2006 Pontiac Torrent she was riding in hit a tree at a curve in the road around 1 p.m. Police said the SUV was being driven by a 17-year-old boy with four passengers when the driver lost control and hit a tree.

A 17-year-old girl was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Two other 17-year-old girls were taken to hospital with life- threatening injuries but their condition has since been upgraded to stable, police said. Another passenger, a boy, 17 as well as the driver were both taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Next of kin have been notified.

Wellington Crescent was closed between Academy Road and Kenaston Boulevard while police conducted their investigation. The road has now been reopened to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, police said.

The crash stunned neighbours and passersby. Shannon Martin was out for his usual lunchtime run down the jogging path along Wellington when he saw the heavily damaged small vehicle and a fellow standing nearby talking on a cellphone.

Martin said a young woman had been thrown from the car. Her body was lying beside the SUV.

"She was clearly deceased," he said. "There was no pulse at all. I got a blanket to cover the young woman up."

He said there were two young men outside the vehicle who appeared unharmed "but were clearly in shock." Two girls were still inside the vehicle and had to be extricated from the car by firefighters, he said.

The car had Alberta licence plates, Martin said.

"It was a single-vehicle accident and they obviously lost control coming around the corner," Martin said.

He said even though he just recently took St. John’s Ambulance training, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the crash scene.

"It was surreal," he said. "There’s a family out there who is going to get some very tragic news."

Many accidents at curve: neighbour

The crash happened about half a kilometre west of the St. James Bridge, at a curve on Wellington. He assumes the vehicle was heading east when it hit the tree.

An hour after the collision, police investigators at the scene were marking the roadway as if the SUV had been heading west on Wellington. There were no visible skid marks.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service's major incident response vehicle also responded to the crash. It is called upon where the potential of mass casualties exists.

A neighbour said the curve in the road has been the scene of many accidents over the years.

Debra Ann Kaminsky said vehicles often take the turn doing 80 kph and end up losing control and often driving across her front yard.

"We’ve asked the city numerous times to do something about it but essentially nothing has been done," Kaminsky said.

Police are asking members of the public who may have information concerning the accident to contact the Winnipeg Police central traffic unit at 986-7085.

Approximate location of the crash:

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History

Updated on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 1:49 PM CDT: adds photos

2:03 PM: Adds witness account.

2:20 PM: Updates street closure.

2:57 PM: adds new photo

3:14 PM: adds comment from neighbour

4:42 PM: Adds map.

8:37 PM: adds police confirmation of fatality

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