N.S. communities devastated, police mystified by crash that kills five
May 28, 2007 - 17:08
BLOCKHOUSE, N.S. (CP) - A horrific accident that killed four motorcyclists and a car passenger has left several Nova Scotia communities grieving and police struggling to understand what caused the crash on a clear Sunday afternoon.
The crash on Highway 103 near Blockhouse left one of the bikes lodged in the passenger side of a Ford Taurus.
The dead motorcyclists included Gary Robar, 58, and his common-law wife, Ann Louise Lyons, 57, both of Lunenburg County.
Gary Robar's daughter, Tanya Louise Robar, 34, and her boyfriend, Michael George Everett, 40, both of Lunenburg County, also were killed in the crash after their motorcycle crashed.
A passenger in the Ford, Raella Hanes, 23, of Halifax, was also killed.
Her 52-year-old mother, whose name wasn't released, was seriously injured and in a coma in hospital on Monday.
Raella Hanes' infant son, who is 18 months old, survived the crash with a broken leg.
RCMP Const. Grant Webber described the accident as "the worst in the history of south shore Nova Scotia."
"It's a shock to the community," he said.
In the small community of North River, in southern Nova Scotia, distant relative Paul Robar, who grew up near Gary Robar's home, said the dead motorcyclists have deep roots in the county.
Gary Robar is survived by two sisters and three brothers, and his mother also lives in the Lunenburg County area, said Paul Robar.
"They're in mourning," he said. "He's got sisters and brothers all around here. It's quite a tragedy."
Arlene Robar, 80, who lives near Ann Louise Lyons and Gary Robar's house in North River, said word of the crash quickly travelled through southern Nova Scotia, as relatives throughout the county learned of the tragedy.
"He was the nicest guy," she said of Gary. "He'd come over and help my daughters shovel snow. He was good natured, nice. He always came up and did his mother's lawn and did all the outside work."
Witnesses and first responders to the crash were disturbed and mystified by the accident in perfect weather on an uncrowded provincial highway.
Webber said no alcohol was involved, and there was no evidence of speeding.
He said the sole adult witness to the crash is Raella Hanes' mother, and police are hoping she recovers sufficiently to tell them what happened.
Asked if the grandmother had any medical condition that could have caused her to lose control, Webber responded, "not that we know of at this time."
"She's in coma due to her injuries. ... It's going to be very important we speak to her in order to put this together," he said. "If we can't speak to her, it's going to be difficult to put together."
Greg Asling, who happened on the scene several minutes after the crash, said it was hard to draw conclusions from the interwoven skid marks and shattered motorcycle parts on the usually calm highway.
He said the Ford, which had been travelling eastbound towards Halifax, was in the ditch on the westbound side of the highway.
The scene of several bodies on the ground behind the motorcycle left him deeply disturbed.
"It was very upsetting, very upsetting. It's also mysterious as to how it can happen. My wife was very upset. ... I had to get her out of there. It's been on our minds ever since."
Shawn MacDonald, a volunteer firefighter with the Blockhouse Fire Department, said the multiple deaths created the worst accident scene he's seen over 20 years with the department.
"It was the wrong place, wrong time for all individuals involved," said MacDonald.
He said the survival of the infant, who was strapped into a car seat, was the only positive side of the tragedy, he added.
"I understand the baby had a broken leg. ... When I saw the child in the back of ambulance, that made my day."
