RCMP say a crash that claimed the lives of three Alberta junior hockey players on Monday is believed to be nothing more than a tragic accident and no criminal charges are expected.
Claresholm RCMP were called to the town of Stavely, south of Calgary, at about 11 a.m. on Monday for reports of a two-vehicle collision involving a small car and a large truck hauling gravel.
“This occurred in the northbound lane of Highway 2 at secondary road 527,” said Cpl. Gina Slaney with the Alberta RCMP on Tuesday.
“Preliminary investigation shows that the semi was travelling northbound on Highway 2 and the passenger vehicle was going eastbound across Highway 2 at the time of the collision.”
She says there is no light at the intersection and southbound drivers need to cross two northbound lanes of traffic to access the town.
Slaney added weather conditions were clear and visibility was not obstructed for either driver.
Slaney said it is not an unsafe intersection.
“At that intersection, since 2019, there have (been) three injury collisions,” she said.
Two of those were fatal crashes, Slaney said — one in 2025 and Monday’s incident.
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She says the loss of the three lives on Monday hit all Albertans hard, especially those in the hockey community.
“Any fatality on any highway in Canada strikes home. This is Stavely, Alberta — it’s a small town, it’s close-knit,” Slaney said.
“I can tell you; I’m a part of a large hockey family and it’s special. This would be so tragic to them, so our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved.”
She says the families of the victims and the other driver would be informed of the police findings and, given that it was an accident, no further update would be provided to the media.
