The holiday weekend came to a tragic end in Nova Scotia’s Hants County where two teens were killed in a single-vehicle collision.
Emergency crews responded to the crash on Highway 1 in Ardoise at approximately 1:35 a.m. Monday.
RCMP say it appears the vehicle left the roadway, struck a power pole and overturned into the ditch.
The 19-year-old male driver and a 16-year-old girl died at the scene.
A 19-year-old male passenger was taken to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax with non-life-threatening injuries while another 16-year-old female passenger was taken to the Hants Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She has since been treated and released.
Neighbours say they were shocked by the scene early Monday.
“Practically the whole sky was lit up with fire trucks and RCMP and so on,” says area resident Ben Schouteten.
“My gosh, you don’t know if it’s some of the kids that you know, and you wonder what in the world is going on with everybody,” says Marg Schouteten.
Police have not released the names of the victims, who are being memorialized by two wooden crosses at the crash site.
“He was a really outstanding guy. He was like a brother to me,” says Jake Mumford, who was friends with the driver. “I loved him, until last night, until the day he died.”
“It’s just sad. A lot of young kids nowadays,” says Ardoise resident Candie Drysdale.
The collision in Ardoise was the second fatal crash to occur in Nova Scotia on the weekend.
A 17-year-old boy from Maitland was pronounced dead following a single-vehicle collision on Highway 236 in Upper Kennetcook Sunday morning.
RCMP believe the teen, identified as Douglas Glenn Hill, lost control of his vehicle, causing it to leave the road, strike a culvert and land on the front lawn of a home.
Police are still investigating the cause of the collisions.
“This is just another tragic event to happen on a highway in Nova Scotia this year,” says RCMP Staff Sgt. Dan Austin.
“Folks just need to drive a little more cautiously and be more defensive when driving and take the steps to make sure they get there alive.”
Police say there has been an increase in highway deaths in Nova Scotia this year and that most accidents are preventable.
“Distracted driving is one, speed or aggressive driving, impaired driving by alcohol or a drug and, of course, unbelted occupants,” says RCMP Sgt. Al LeBlanc.
School officials have not officially been notified of the deaths, but the female victim would have returned to Avon View High School in Windsor on Wednesday, and the male victim was a former student.
Margo Tait, superintendent of the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board, says schools bring in a crisis response team to provide support for staff and students during times of tragedy.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Suzette Belliveau and Ron Shaw
