Almaguin Forester

As of press time on Wednesday, police report that Armour Township reeve Richard Thomas was in critical condition at a Toronto hospital, after the pickup truck he was driving collided with a tractor trailer truck on Tuesday morning at the north entrance to Burk’s Falls on Hwy 11.

Police, fire and ambulance crews closed the highway after the call came in at about 9:17 a.m. on December 27. A special investigation team was also sent to the crash site.

Thomas, who was driving a light blue Volkswagen pickup truck, attempted to make a left-hand turn from a Hwy 11 southbound lane onto Ontario Street when his vehicle collided with a northbound tractor trailer.

Firefighters did not need to extricate Thomas from the vehicle. He was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Emergency crews found Thomas “semi-conscious” in a nearby snowbank, according to one of the first emergency personnel to arrive at the scene.

According to Almaguin Highlands OPP, the 73-year-old reeve was sent to Huntsville Hospital and later airlifted to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. He underwent surgery on Tuesday night. A source in contact with Thomas’ relatives said the accident had caused “a lot of internal injuries.”

The driver of the tractor trailer, 28-year-old Joel Dranger of Listowel, was not injured.

The crash closed Hwy 11 for about eight hours from the north entrance of Burk’s Falls to the south entrance. Traffic was re-routed through Burk’s Falls via Ontario Street during that time.

News that Thomas was seriously injured in the crash circulated quickly in the village as eyewitnesses passed the crash scene, although there was some doubt because Thomas was not driving the same truck he was known to use for trips into town.

Rumours that Thomas had died at the hospital in Toronto also circulated throughout the night, but they were false.

On Wednesday morning, a source with Almaguin Highlands OPP said Thomas was “in critical condition, but he is still alive.”

Armour Township clerk Wendy Whitwell was in contact with the Thomas family and council members on Wednesday.

“He made it through the night,” she said. “He’s still unconscious, but he’s showing signs of movement. Those are good signs.”

Burk’s Falls and District Fire Department chief Paul Hunter said road conditions were “fine” at the time of the crash.

“We can’t wait for the four-lanes,” he said. “This highway is deadly. This wouldn’t have happened had it been four lanes. It just never would have happened.”

Thomas is well-known across the region as a self-described “environmental economist,” a municipal politician, a writer, a storyteller and an advocate for various alternative energies and policies for regional self-sufficiency. Most recently, Thomas has made headlines for lobbying the Ministry of Transportation (along with Burk’s Falls reeve Ron Russell and Strong Township reeve Steve Rawn) to change aspects of the design for the new four-laned Hwy 11 section between Burk’s Falls and Sundridge. The lobby effort includes criticism and alternative suggestions for the interchange planned for the very intersection where Tuesday’s accident occurred.

Armour Township deputy reeve Marty Corcoran was waiting for news on Thomas’ condition throughout Wednesday afternoon. He was shocked to learn of the accident on Tuesday. He was relieved to learn on Wednesday morning (from sources close to the family) that rumours of Thomas’ death were false.

“I have to take over his duties, I guess, until he comes around,” said Corcoran. “It’s going to be quite a while before he’s at it again.”