MARATHON – UPDATE – Highway 17 was closed for six hours on Saturday.
OPP are providing this update: On Saturday October 23, 2021 approximately 01:20 pm, officers of the Marathon/Manitouwadge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision (MVC), involving a single motor vehicle (MV) on Highway 17, approximately 30km west of White River near White Lake Narrows Bridge.
Officers, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and White River Fire Department (WRFD) arrived on scene to find a silver car on the west bound shoulder of the highway. The MV had been traveling west when it left the roadway coming in contact with a rock. A male was walking around on the roadway and one other male was laying on the roadway.
Both occupants of the MV were transported to a local hospital for further treatments.
Jonathan WARD, age 28 of Pic Mobert was treated and later released with minor injuries. The other occupant, Shane DESJARDINS, age 27 of Batchewana First Nation was transferred via Air Orange to the Thunder Bay Regional Science Center in critical condition to receive further treatments.
Highway 17 was closed at the MVC while OPP Technical Traffic Control Investigators (TTCI) conduct their investigation. After approximately 3 ½ hours one lane was able to be opened to intermediate traffic. The road was completely open by 07:30 pm approximately 6 hours after the MVC occurred. The investigation is ongoing at this time as to the cause of the MVC.
The Marathon and White River Fire Department, as well as the Marathon and White River Emergency Medical Services (EMS), responded to the call to assist.
