1 dead, 3 hurt after crash on Highway 1 near Chestermere

One man is dead and three others have been injured after a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 1 east of Calgary near Chestermere Friday.

Officers with Chestermere RCMP say they were called to a crash between a semi-truck hauling a herbicide and two other semis pulled over on the shoulder of the road around 3 a.m. A car was also involved in the crash.

The four men involved in the crash are between the ages of 30 and 50. One was killed in the crash, and three were taken to hospital in non-life threatening condition.

Cpl. Robert Keene with Strathmore RCMP says a collision reconstructionist is on the scene.

“They found that there were actually two semi-trucks that were parked on the shoulder. The third one had come up and ran into the back of the first one, pushing it into the one in front of it,” Keene said.

I’m on the scene of a massive crash on the Number 1 Highway just outside of Chestermere in the WB lanes…3 semis were involved.

One person killed. Multiple injured.

Part of the highway is closed right now.@citynewscalgary #yyc #ABroads #Calgary #Alberta pic.twitter.com/C7LI0GtNjP

— Logan Stein (@L0ganStein) January 20, 2023

Lethbridge truck driver Mangal Shams says this was the first time he had seen something like this.

He says he saw the crash just after it happened and slowed his truck to see if he could do anything to help.

“This first truck, his side windows broken, and I saw him,” he said.

“I asked him if he was okay. He couldn’t speak. He just put his head up and down. Just put his head back down on the steering wheel.”

Shams says he walked further ahead to see the other trucks, where he saw a body on the ground.

He decided not to proceed further but instead grabbed a flashlight and waved for help to other trucks that were passing by.

“Pretty sad … Some people will be crying today,” Shams said.

The westbound lanes of Highway 1 at Paradise Road (Range Road 282) reopened just before 9:30 Friday night.

-With files from Logan Stein