A 34-year-old Port McNeill man was killed in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 19 near Woss Friday, the RCMP announced.
Tavis Menzies, a former competitive skier who had recently transitioned into the forest industry, was found shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Two off-duty RCMP officers, from the Port Hardy and Port Alice Detachments, came upon the scene of a single vehicle crash, which appeared to have happened a short time earlier.
The officers requested assistance from the Port McNeill RCMP, and immediately went to the crash site to render assistance. The officers located Menzies on the ground a short distance away from his 2003 GMC pickup truck. He was found deceased on site.
Preliminary information suggests that the vehicle was traveling southbound on Hwy. 19, when it failed to navigate a turn in the road, entering the ditch on the left side of the roadway, ultimately colliding with a tree. Menzies appears to have been ejected from the vehicle during impact.
Port McNeill RCMP continue to investigate the cause of this crash, with assistance from the RCMP Traffic Analyst/Re-constructionist Unit. As is routine in such cases, a mechanical inspection of the vehicle will be conducted as part of this ongoing investigation. At the time of the crash the roadway was wet, with rain falling intermittently, along with gusty winds. There is no evidence to suggest that any other vehicles were involved in this crash.
Officers with the Port McNeill RCMP notified Menzie’s family of his passing late Friday.
One lane of traffic remained open during the scene examination and vehicle removal. Anyone who may have witnessed this crash as urged to contact the Port McNeill RCMP at 250-956-4441.