Six dead when truck crashes into Canadian crowd

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug 25 (Reuters) A pickup truck driven by an elderly man struck a pre-wedding party near Vancouver, killing six people and injuring 17, police said today.

At least 25 people were walking in the dark along a road in Abbotsford, British Columbia, late yesterday when they were hit by the truck. The crash sent some victims flying into a ditch and trapping others under the vehicle. The injured included two infants. Injuries ranged from minor to serious.

Police questioned the 71-year-old man driving the truck but he was released without being charged. Drunken driving has been ruled out as a cause, but the incident was under investigation.

The crowd was walking between houses while celebrating a wedding scheduled to be held in the Vancouver suburb today, police said.

REUTERS AK BST0303