Alberta to review rural highway intersection after fatal crash involving junior hockey players

The Alberta government says it will review a rural highway intersection near Stavely following a deadly crash that claimed the lives of three junior hockey players earlier this week.

The collision occurred Monday at a highway entrance just outside the southern Alberta community, about an hour south of Calgary. RCMP say a car carrying members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey team was travelling east across the highway when it was struck by a northbound semi truck hauling two trailers of gravel.

In a statement Tuesday, Alberta’s transportation ministry said reviewing fatal collisions is standard practice. Officials said the assessment will examine traffic volumes, past collision data, lighting conditions, and other roadway factors to determine whether safety improvements are needed. RCMP continue to investigate the cause of the crash.

The players who died were identified as JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, B.C., and Caden Fine, 17, from Alabama. The truck driver, a Stavely resident, was treated for minor injuries. The Mustangs compete in the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Premier Division and are based in southern Alberta.

Jen Handley, mayor of nearby Nanton, where many Mustangs players live with billet families, said highway crossings are a reality for rural communities across the province. She said a benefit hockey game is being planned for Sunday to bring players, families, and residents together in support of the team during what she called an incredibly difficult time.