Kingston, Ontario — Updated: Fri Jul. 16 2010 9:43 PM
An accident on the 401, speculated online as being related to a high-speed police chase, has occurred in the westbound lane of the 401 near HWY 38.
Online posts on Twitter indicate a pickup truck was involved in the incident as was another car, although no confirmation if the second vehicle was a police vehicle or civilian.
The first post indicated on Twitter was from a Queen’s University student, Michael Peter Carter, who also posted a photo taken on the 401 (featured above) showing traffic at a standstill.
Others have written on the social networking site that spilled cigarette cartons strewn around at the scene may indicate a contraband situation that could have led to a police chase on the highway.
Recent tweets also indicate slow travel in the eastbound lane of the 401 as well.
Similar to a closure last week, the alternate route – HWY 2 – is also experiencing bumper to bumper traffic with westbound travelers able to return to the 401 at Odessa.
Update 1: a more recent post on Twitter (by @hypnobuzz) reports another serious crash on Westbrook Road at Burbrook Road, which is north of – and not directly accessible from – the 401 highway – but may be a route drivers have chosen to bypass the traffic jam on primary alternate HWY 2, south of the 401.
Update 2: Reporter Rob Tripp (@cancrime) posted on Twitter “Hwy 401 is an ashtray. Police chased truck carrying illegal cigarettes. It crashed and rolled near Kingston, spilling smokes. Hwy closed”. Also wrote that police chased the pickup truck for 90 km.
Update 3: CBC radio reports one man in custody charged with dangerous driving and a tobacco related offense. A female passenger has been transported to hospital.
Update 4: Both lanes of the 401 in the Kingston region are back to normal traffic conditions.
More: Photos of the 401 Accident near Kingston
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Photo (via Twitpic) by Michael Peter Carter