'Oh no, not again': B.C. family sees 4 crashes into backyard in 3 years

For 15 years, Brent Burton's fellowship and an salmagundi of pets, horses and animals feature lived in the sort of peaceable bucolic Okanagan farm many dream of owning.

So when in August 2022, a Ford SUV came careening off a nearby Highway 97 embankment, smashed through fencing and destroyed a boat in storage, Burton wrote it all off as "a fluke."

"He walked away basically unscathed. He had a bit of a rash on his elbow, but he was pretty lucky to be alive."

Since then, that "fluke" has been followed by another three separate crashes in three years — including two serious crashes within 48 hours last week.

In March 2023, another crash in almost the same place as the first one destroyed a boat just replaced by insurance.

Police believe an elderly man suffered a heart attack behind the wheel and died before his car landed near Burton's garage.

Last Tuesday, a Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) officer chasing a pickup truck appeared to take the curve too fast.

"[The CVSE car] ended up going across the line of traffic and into our yard," Burton said.

The Okanagan resident found the driver moaning in pain, suffering fractures and taken to hospital, and that same boat smashed again.

Remarkably, just 48 hours later on Thursday, the driver of a Honda Pilot lost control after light snowfall and landed only a few metres from an already wrecked shed.

"It's scary," Burton says of the series of crashes.

"You know, we hear the crashes and bangs, and we're like, 'Oh no, not again' ... It's to the point right now where we, you know, don't feel safe in that part of our yard."

Speed may have been a factor in some, but investigations have not yet confirmed it.

Burton points to the highway itself, near the intersection of Lakehill Road and Juniper Avenue.

A lazy curve sits up an embankment from his property without any guardrails or warnings, the speed limit rapidly transitioning from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.

"There's got to be some sort of way of of stopping stuff coming off the highway," he says.

"I think at this point, something's got to be done."

Burton has reached out to the B.C. Ministry of Transportation, Boundary-Similkameen MLA Donegal Wilson and Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) director Subrina Monteith for help.

He says the local ministry office and highway crews told him there wasn't enough room between the embankment slope and curb to put in a barrier.

Another issue with the case: jurisdiction.

She says local officials are pushing hard for a solution.

"I think we're in the right direction. The fact that Ministry of Transportation is well aware, the local MLA Donegal Wilson is very aware," the regional district official said.

"Everybody's going to be advocating to do something — because, you know, is it going to happen again? Unfortunately, it could."

"The Ministry of Transportation and Transit is aware of the recent vehicle incidents ... And is reviewing this intersection for potential safety improvements," a spokesperson said.

"In the interim, reflective markers will be installed at this location to enhance visibility and road user safety."

For Burton, it's a start.

But he doubts reflective strips alone will do much to help his family get peace and safety.

"Visibility isn't an issue ... at least it's something," the Kaleden resident said.

"I don't think it would have changed the outcome of any of the four vehicles that entered the yard. Hopefully they find it unsafe, and that something should be done."

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