Multiple crashes injure motorists, first responders

West Shore RCMP are investigating two suspected impaired-driving incidents in Langford, including an Oct. 17 crash in which a sedan crossed the median and caught fire, seriously injuring its driver and passenger, and an Oct. 20 report of erratic driving that resulted in a 90-day driving prohibition. Elsewhere, a collision on the M42 near Bromsgrove caused major delays and emergency barrier repairs, though responders reported no patients needing treatment. Recent roadway incidents have also renewed attention to first-responder safety after an Abilene officer was injured when a truck struck his patrol vehicle at a crash scene. In Saskatchewan, paramedics treated nine people injured in two separate Highway 2 collisions, while a California Highway Patrol dispatch log described a collision near Highway 101 involving a possible deer strike and reported injuries.