Skip to content

Port Hardy man dies in single-vehicle crash

A Port Hardy man was killed and a female passenger hospitalized following a single-vehicle accident near Woss July 14.

A Port Hardy man was killed and a female passenger hospitalized following a single-vehicle accident near Woss July 14.

Earl Hovey, 69, was found deceased at the scene after the Jeep Wrangler he was driving veered from the southbound lane of Hwy. 19 and over an embankment.

A 49-year-old female passenger managed to make her way back up to the roadside and flagged down a passing motorist. A 9-1-1 call was relayed to RCMP at 12:18 p.m., but it was unclear how much time passed between the crash and its discovery.

“The victim was not wearing a seat belt,” said Sgt. Craig Blanchard of the Port McNeill RCMP. “The passenger, who was wearing a belt, managed to get out despite her injuries and get help. We want to remind people to always wear their seat belts; it does make a difference in accident situations.”

The woman was taken to hospital in Victoria with undetermined injuries that were believed not to be life-threatening, said Blanchard.

The victim’s next-of-kin were notified, and the cause of the incident is still under investigation.