Members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit speak to witnesses at the scene of a strange incident July 12 just north of Secondary Highway 611 on Highway 2. A woman drove her vehicle into the ditch and then ran onto the highway, narrowly escaping being run over. Photo by Jordie Dwyer

Through the quick efforts of a semi-trailer driver and then an Alberta Sheriffs officer, the life of a woman was spared.

Around 11 a.m. on July 12, a woman from Maskwacis began what was supposed to be a trip to Calgary.

However, for an unknown reason, the woman wound up turning northbound at the Secondary Highway 611 overpass with Highway 2. At that point, the vehicle she was driving went into the east ditch, coming to a stop right at the welcome sign for the County of Wetaskiwin.

Police confirm the vehicle just tapped the sign, followed by the woman getting out and running into the middle of the northbound lanes where she stood in front of a semi-trailer bearing down on her.

Fortunately, the driver was able to stop in time, but the situation didn’t end there.

The woman jumped up on the tractor unit, climbed onto the hood then over it and made her way onto the two tank trailers it was hauling.

Once there, she sat down and refused to move, ending up removing her shirt and pants in the process.

A short time later, an Alberta Sheriff member of the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit (ITU) arrived on scene.

Following a chat, and after the officer offered to remove his gun and bullet proof vest, the woman calmed down enough to where she voluntarily came down.

By that time, several other ITU members – both Sheriffs and RCMP officers – had made it to the scene to provide further assistance.

No charges are being laid and the woman voluntarily accepted transport to the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury, where she was admitted and her clothing was returned to her.



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