North Okanagan teenage driver rescued after being ejected from pickup truck

A 16-year-old driver not wearing a seatbelt had to be rescued from a remote forest service road after their truck slid off the road and 15 metres down an embankment propelling the driver another six metres further downhill.

According to a Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP media release, the incident happened on Bouleau Lake Forest Service Road, west of Westside Road. Police got the call around 6:30 p.m. April 30 about a vehicle 15 meters down an embankment.

"Given the challenging terrain, the assistance of Vernon Search and Rescue was required to bring the youth up the embankment to the waiting ambulance," Vernon RCMP spokesperson Corp. Tania Finn said in the release.

The 16-year-old driver sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by the B.C. Ambulance Service. The driver possessed a Class 7 learner's licence and was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving contrary to restrictions.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.