Kamloops RCMP say the police officer who was taken to hospital after the crash on Fortune Drive yesterday morning is expected to recover “in time.”

It’s not clear yet what caused the crash at Fortune Drive and Fort Avenue just after 11 a.m., but police tell Radio NL the other driver appeared to be uninjured.

That crash led to the multi-hour closure of Fortune Drive, which in turn led to significant traffic issues across Kamloops particularly during the afternoon commute as people tried to get to the North Shore.

Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Darren Dodge says the RCMP appreciates people’s “understanding and patience” as they investigated the crash.

“We know yesterday was a bit of a crazy day within the City but we’re very thankful for the city’s patience,” Dodge told Radio NL. “It helps us ensure an investigation can be conducted in a a safe and thorough manner.”

“We try our best to reopen roadways as soon as possible, but every accident is unique, as are the challenges of collecting evidence depending on where, when, and why the collision occurred.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Katie Neustaeter, says they will be reviewing best-practices with staff when it comes to communication connected to the traffic snarl, that led to some people sitting in their vehicles for over an hour, in some cases.

Neustaeter – the Deputy Mayor  for June – told Radio NL that the complaints about a lack of communication from the city may be warranted.

“I certainly think that is fair comment and we need to hear that feedback from folks if they didn’t have the information that they needed to change their plans,” she said. “I was caught in that traffic too and I was wondering ‘what is going on?’ So I think that is absolutely fair feedback that council will bring back to staff and discuss.”

Neustaeter also said she feels the use of the Voyent Alert system was not warranted.

“That is used in specifical instances,” she said. “What you don’t want is people becoming sort of numb to those Voyent Alerts and missing something that is absolutely critical. That is really reserved for an emergency basis.”

Dodge meanwhile told Radio NL that the identity of the officer involved – and the extent of their injuries – could be been made public in the near future.