Pick-up came to rest on its roof following rollover at Highway 97 and Austin Road. Photos 250 News

Prince George, B.C. – Police say excessive speed, alcohol and lack of seatbelt use are all believed to be contributing factors in a single vehicle fatal accident on the Hart Highway early this morning.

At approximately 12:45 AM the Prince George RCMP received a report of a rollover  involving one vehicle on Highway 97 near the intersection with Austin Road. Corporal Craig Douglass says there were five people in a full-size pick-up travelling at excessive speed southbound on the highway between Handlen Road and Austin Road.

The driver lost control and the vehicle rolled across the highway into the northbound ditch.

The 22-year-old male driver was wearing his seatbelt and was uninjured.  The four passengers were not wearing seatbelts and all of them were ejected from the cab of the truck.  A 21-year-old male passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene.  A 20 year old female was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of Northern BC with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.  The remaining two passengers, a 20 year old male (correct) and a 19 year old female, suffered minor injuries.

Truck was severely damaged in the rollover shortly before 1 am Saturday.

A portion of Highway 97 was closed for several hours while investigators including a Collision Reconstructionist gathered evidence.

The criminal investigation is in its beginning stages.

Editor’s note:

This story  has been corrected to reflect the  correct age and gender of one of the passengers.