Semi-truck rampage in southeast Edmonton sends 5 to hospital

Several charges were laid after a dangerous driving rampage in southeast Edmonton sent five people to hospital, police said.

According to the Edmonton Police Service, a speeding semi tractor/trailer drove erratically, ran a red light and hit several trees and two vehicles.

On Monday evening, just before 6:30 p.m., police responded to multiple reports of a red Kenworth tractor and flatbed trailer swerving erratically while travelling east on Anthony Henday Drive at approximately 150 km/h, where the speed limit is 100 km/h.

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Police said the truck left the freeway and headed south to the Walker area. There, the semi reportedly hit a parked GMC Sierra, knocked over a tree, and then ran a red light at the intersection of 50th Street and 22nd Avenue SW.

EPS said the truck then continued south along 50th Street into the country, travelling at 100 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. The semi drove through a ditch before turning east onto a rural stretch of 41st Avenue SW, police said.

Police said the semi then turned back north at 34th Street SW, where a Dodge Ram with five people inside was rear-ended.

The 25-year-old man driving the Dodge was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The other four people in the pickup were taken to hospital for precautionary reasons.

After the collision, police said the damaged semi veered off the road, hit several more trees, and came to a stop in a field.

The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured in the collision and police arrested him on scene.

EPS said 39-year-old Dominic Zajac’s driver’s licence has been suspended, and he is charged with impaired operation causing bodily harm, dangerous operation causing bodily harm and refusal to provide breath sample.

The EPS major collision investigations unit continues to investigate.

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