A 43-year-old man is dead a collision Thursday afternoon on the Trans-Canada Highway near the exit to Butter Pot Park.

Holyrood RCMP were called shortly after 2:15 p.m. A vehicle traveling east on the TCH left the road, drove over the median and crashed head-on into a westbound vehicle.

The driver of the eastbound vehicle died at the scene. The driver of the westbound vehicle was taken to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s with injuries that are believed to be non-life-threatening.

The TCH was reduced to one lane of travel for a number of hours as police officers conducted an examination of the scene. During this time, five drivers were ticketed under the Highway Traffic Act; four drivers were using cell phones, some to take images of the crash, and one driver was not wearing a seat belt. Using a cell phone while driving, especially through a collision scene, puts others, including first responders, at serious and unnecessary risk.  

A Collision Reconstructionist with RCMP Traffic Services attended the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is engaged and the investigation is continuing.