The Yukon RCMP has concluded its investigation into a fatal ambulance crash near Haines Junction last month, confirming that the vehicle was taken from a Yukon government worksite “without the consent of the owner” and that no charges are being laid.
Emergency responders were called to kilometre 1566 of the Alaska Highway, 14 km east of Haines Junction, around 7 a.m. on June 13 after reports of a single motor vehicle accident.
The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, a private ambulance taken earlier that morning from a Department of Highways and Public Works construction site near Cracker Creek, was found dead on scene.
She was later identified as 19-year-old Elizabeth Boyd, a volunteer firefighter with the Mount Lorne Volunteer Fire Department.
In a statement emailed to the News June 15, the Boyd family said that it was their understanding that “Elizabeth was trying to right a wrong to return the emergency transport vehicle to the highways camp before the work day began.” The statement also said that Boyd was not wearing a seatbelt and was using her cellphone at the time of the crash.
Yukon RCMP spokesperson Coralee Reid told the News in an email July 13 that the police investigation into the crash had concluded.
“The police investigation confirmed that the vehicle was taken without the consent of the owner. This was also confirmed as part of the Coroner’s investigation,” Reid wrote.
“The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash. There were no charges laid in regards to the vehicle or collision.”
In a phone interview, Reid would not explicitly confirm who the ambulance was “taken” by, but that Boyd was the driver at the time of the crash. She could not confirm if Boyd was trying to return the ambulance.
Yukon’s acting chief coroner, Heather Jones, said her investigation into the crash is still ongoing and that the Yukon Coroner’s Service is awaiting toxicology results before issuing a judgement of inquiry.
Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com