Wrong-way driver who crashed on Hwy. 99 has died, coroner says

A driver heads the wrong way down Highway 99 in this shocking dashcam video. (YouTube/NakedLaptop)

The 26-year-old man who crashed while driving the wrong way down Highway 99 in Delta over the weekend has died.

Officials have not released the driver's name, but the BC Coroners Service said he was a resident of Vancouver.

Why he ended up going against traffic remains a mystery days after the crash, which also put a 19-year-old woman from another vehicle in hospital with serious injuries.

Sgt. Lorne Lecker of the RCMP's Deas Island Traffic Services said investigators aren't ruling anything out, but that mechanical trouble is "extremely unlikely."

"Nothing has been ruled out and nothing has been ruled in. We're looking at all the possibilities," Lecker said.

It could be months before toxicology work determines whether the driver was in any way impaired.

Earlier this week, dashcam video emerged of the driver's Volkswagen Golf heading in the wrong direction down the 99. More video has since surfaced of the moment of impact, showing the Golf appearing to swerve into the path of a Toyota RAV4, sending the second vehicle careening through the air.

A third vehicle, a Honda Pilot, can also be seen rolling onto its side.

"Some of the videos that we've seen have been quite terrifying to watch," Lecker said.

Police believe the Golf went through the George Massey Tunnel in the proper lane, then crashed through a physical barrier and crossed over a counter-flow lane to end up on the other side of the highway.

The Golf eventually struck the RAV4 head-on, which triggered a second collision with the Pilot.

The young woman who was injured was a passenger in the RAV4, according to police. A driver and passenger from the Pilot suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Lecker said investigators have been in contact with the deceased Golf driver's family, but have not formally interviewed them yet to see if they can shed light on what happened.

Anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn't spoken with police is asked to call the Deas Island Traffic Services at 778-290-2400.

With files from CTV Vancouver's David Molko