Highway 417 reopened after serious crash sends man to hospital
Man critically injured in crash near Metcalfe exit, say paramedics
A man has been hospitalized with potentially life-threatening injuries following a crash on Highway 417 late Thursday morning that closed the eastbound lanes through downtown Ottawa for several hours.
First responders were called to the scene of the two-vehicle crash near the Metcalfe Street exit at around 11:55 a.m., an Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson told CBC.
One vehicle was rear-ended, paramedics said, causing it to spin out and hit the highway's guard rail.
The critically injured man was inside the vehicle that was struck, paramedics said. It's believed he was also injured by personal objects that were inside the vehicle, they added.
The man was the only person taken to hospital.
The highway's eastbound lanes were closed near the Metcalfe exit after the crash. They were reopened shortly after 4 p.m., although Ontario Provincial Police warned that traffic would be heavy until the backlog was cleared.
With files from Emma Weller