Fort Smith police say they’re trying to find a missing teenaged passenger after a car crash badly hurt the driver and led to a drugs investigation.
A 2015 Chevrolet Camaro hit the ditch at around 6pm on Saturday near the town’s King Street, RCMP said in a Monday news release.
“A 43-year-old male, believed to be the driver, appeared to have been ejected from the vehicle and was found near the vehicle with life-threatening injuries,” police stated, adding the man – whose name was not confirmed – had been medevaced to Edmonton. Alcohol is thought to have been a factor, police stated.
Witnesses told officers a 14-year-old boy left the scene on foot, RCMP said.
As part of the search for that boy, police said officers entered a home on Whooping Crane Drive and found a 16-year-old boy inside with 384 grams of suspected cocaine, just over $6,000 in cash, four cell phones and drug paraphernalia.
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Police said the 16-year-old – originally from Ontario, according to RCMP – was charged in connection with drug trafficking and released from custody. Police described him as “missing in Toronto.”
Meanwhile, the search for the 14-year-old continues.
Police described the boy as “slender, approximately 5 ft 5 in, with sandy blond hair and a possible mark near his left eye.”
RCMP said he was last seen near the Kaeser’s general store at 5:30pm on Saturday while wearing a black hoodie and black track pants with a red stripe.
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“Fort Smith RCMP are concerned for the youth’s well-being as he was involved in a car accident and may require medical attention,” police stated.
(A day after this article was published, police said the boy had been located.)
Anyone with dashcam footage of the crash is asked to contact the Fort Smith detachment at 867-872-1111 or leave a tip via Crime Stoppers.
