Black-ice crash claims one of North's best curlers

When the Northern Ontario Labatt Men's Curling Championships take place next month here in Sault Ste. Marie, selecting our provincial representative for the Nokia Brier, Scott Patterson will not be in attendance.

Patterson (shown) was on his way yesterday to the Sudbury Curling Club when he was involved in a fatal accident on Highway 17 at Wahnapitae.

Both the Ontario Provincial Police and St. Joseph's Health Care Centre in Sudbury confirm that Patterson died around 10 a.m. today from injuries sustained in the three-vehicle crash.

Patterson was on his way to the Sudbury Curling Club for the Northern Ontario Curling Association Challenge Round, a qualifier for the Sault Ste. Marie event scheduled for February 9-14.

His CFB Curling Club rink, comprised of Greg Cantin, John McClelland and Gerry Cantin, was travelling with him.

Saultite injured

McLelland grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, attending White Pines Collegiate and Vocational Institute and curling with Sault Curling Club.

McLelland is reported to have been in the passenger's seat and to have suffered injuries that are not life-threatening.

Patterson, a father to two young children, had been to two Nokia Briers, in 1994 and 1999.

SooToday.com's sister site in North Bay, BayToday.ca, reports that the accident occurred between Highway 537 and Mills Road on what locals say was an ice-covered hill.

Highway 17 had to be closed for almost three hours because of the crash.

Patterson, 34, is reported to have been driving at the time.

Sandwiched between two vehicles

Police say his westbound mini-van was sandwiched between an eastbound pickup truck that lost control on black ice and crossed into the opposite lane, and another westbound vehicle that rear-ended Patterson's van.

He and his rink were taken by ambulance to St. Joseph's Health Centre.

BayToday.ca is reporting that Gerry Cantin suffered a broken arm and an injured knee and was released from hospital today.

Greg Cantin is reported to have suffered a ruptured spleen.

The driver of the pickup truck, Daniel Louis Gagnon, 29, of North Bay, and his daughter, Josee, 8, were not injured.

The driver of the third vehicle, Lise St. Denis, 34, of Wahnapitae, along with her five children were also uninjured.

To read Russ Howard's reaction to the news of the passing of a fellow sportsman, please click here

Unrelated fatality OPP also report a second fatal collision on Highway 17 in the Sudbury area on Saturday.

That accident, around 3:45 p.m., occurred on the southwest bypass west of Long Lake Road.

A car crossed the center line into the path of a transport, police said.

The lone driver of the vehicle was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man's name has not yet been released.

- Photo of Scott Patterson supplied by Gerry Geurts.