A wrong-way driver caused a fatal crash on the Coquihalla Highway south of Kamloops on Friday night. The incident resulted in two deaths and sent three others to the hospital.

Just before 9 p.m., police received multiple reports of a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction in the northbound lanes of Highway 5, near Inks Lake Road. Minutes later, a grey Dodge Ram pickup and a white Hyundai Kona hatchback collided head-on. The crash claimed the lives of two individuals and left three others with serious injuries.

Authorities have not disclosed which vehicle was driving the wrong way to avoid influencing potential witnesses' memories of the event. The highway was closed for over nine hours, reopening around 5 a.m. on Saturday.

"Police are investigating the possibility that criminal behavior caused this tragic collision," said RCMP Corporal Michael McLaughlin. He emphasized the need for witnesses, stating, "We need every available witness who can tell us what the drivers were doing in the minutes and hours leading up to this collision."

Investigators are urging anyone with dash-camera footage or who witnessed the events leading up to the crash to contact the B.C. Highway Patrol in Kamloops at (250) 828-3111, referencing file number 2025-3075.

The Coquihalla Highway has a notorious reputation, having been the site of numerous fatal accidents. It has been closed twice this week alone. Earlier, the highway was shut down for two days due to the Mine Creek wildfire. It also faced closure on Friday after a semi-truck and pickup truck collided, resulting in a fire from the semi's trailer.