An 18-year-old Surrey girl is dead, and local police are investigating following a late Wednesday night single vehicle collision on River Road in East Richmond, near Westminster Highway.
Richmond RCMP Sgt. Cam Kowalski said the accident occurred around 9 p.m., when the vehicle left the road and struck two hydro poles on the 22000 block of River Road.
When Richmond Mounties arrived, firefighters were in the ditch next to the vehicle, trying to extract the teen.
Kowalski said the vehicle had been eastbound prior to hitting the poles.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, but died of her injuries around 6:40 a.m.
There were four people in the vehicle, ages 18 to 21. The others suffered only minor injuries, police said.
Speed is a possible factor, as is driver inexperience, but alcohol is not considered a factor.
The roadway remained closed into early Thursday afternoon, more than 15 hours later.