Dump truck driver fined after totalling BMW, spilling coal into river in Manning Park, B.C.

RCMP vehicle. (Supplied)

A speeding dump truck driver who collided with a car in Manning Park, B.C., shutting down a portion of a highway and dumping its load of coal into a nearby river as a result, has been fined just over $350.

Police were called to a crash on Highway 3, just east of Cayuse Flats, at 1:35 p.m., B.C. Highway Patrol said in a statement Thursday.

The incident unfolded after the dump truck jackknifed into its own trailer, leading it to crash into a passing car and spill its load of coal into the nearby Skagit River. The collision caused a partial closure of the highway, with traffic down to a single lane for several hours.

Two men were left with minor injuries but the car, a BMW sedan, was totaled as a result.

According to the statement, the B.C. Ministry of Environment is monitoring the river spill and “working with the truck company on appropriate cleanup.”

The 39-year-old dump truck driver, from Chilliwack, was issued a ticket for driving without due care and attention and slapped with a fine of $368. Speed was determined to be a factor in the crash, and six penalty points were issued against his driver’s licence.

“Commercial truck drivers cannot travel safely at the speed of smaller, lighter vehicles,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin, with the B.C. Highway Patrol, in the statement.

“We ask that all commercial drivers exercise more care.”

Other motorists should also exercise patience when sharing the road with truck drivers, McLaughlin added.

“A slower truck is likely a safer truck.”