Teenager from Lumby, B.C., killed at a rural gathering: police

An RCMP logo is seen on the shoulder of a superintendent during a news conference in St. John's, N.L., on Saturday, June 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Mounties say a 15-year-old from Lumby, B.C., has been killed after they and another youth were hit by a truck at a Saturday night gathering.

The Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP say a group of young people were gathered on a rural property to celebrate the beginning of the summer holidays when the pair was allegedly struck by a driver.

Police say they were called to the property at around 11:50 p.m.

“On arrival, police learned that the dangerous actions of a pick-up truck driver resulted in two pedestrians being struck,” Mounties said, in a release.

Police say other youths who saw the collision attempted first aid until emergency crews showed up and took over, but the 15-year-old “succumbed to injuries.” The other youth who had been hit by the pickup truck was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the driver fled, but Cpl. Tania Finn said, “Investigators were able to identify, locate and arrest the driver that night.”

“There were numerous youth present at this gathering who, not only saw this tragic incident, but captured it on cellphone,” she said.

Mounties said a 16-year-old from Vernon, B.C., was arrested and released pending a court date, and faces potential criminal charges in relation to the collision.

“The B.C. Coroners Service attended to the scene to conduct an independent and concurrent fact-finding investigation to determine how, where, when and by what means they came to their unexpected death. The family of the deceased was notified and are receiving grief support,” police said, in a release.

Anyone with further information regarding the incident who hasn’t yet spoken to police has been asked to call the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at 250 545-7171.