Distracted driving is being blamed for a T-bone crash Tuesday night that left a 53-year-old Delta man with a broken pelvis.
White Rock RCMP Const. Janelle Shoihet said the collision occurred just before 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20, when a white Ford Explorer northbound on George Street pulled out onto North Bluff Road in front of a black Toyota 4Runner.
"The file indicates that the person who got T-boned was talking on his cellphone," Shoihet said. "The victim was on the phone with his wife."
Emergency crews had to use the jaws of life to extract the Explorer driver. He was airlifted to Royal Columbian Hospital.
The driver of the Toyota – a 17-year-old – was "essentially uninjured," Shoihet said.
She said it is likely both vehicles will be written off as a result of the collision, a fact that was particularly upsetting to the South Surrey teenager.
"He was pretty torn about it apparently because he just got that truck… had it all pimped out," she said. "He was so excited to get this new truck and now it's a write-off."
While rain Tuesday night was torrential at times, Shoihet said there is no indication it played a role in the crash.
Investigation is ongoing.