Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 23/02) - Capt. Elisha Sloan rarely drives to her job at the Department of National Defence.

But because she had just returned from vacation, she decided to drive Wednesday morning.

At first glance, her parking space -- behind a grove of trees, guarded by large rocks and a grass embankment -- appeared safe.

A black late-model van proved that theory wrong.

According to witnesses, the van was going so fast while turning left off 49th Street that it had to cut the corner.

Skid marks leading to the accident scene suggest the driver was on the wrong side of the road from the moment the turn was made according to the police.

"He didn't brake at all," said Stuart Berry of MicroAge Computer Stores, located across the street from the crash.

Berry and colleague Geoff Frandrick witnessed the van turn the corner and slam through the trees near the parking lot and hit Sloan's truck.

"I thought it was odd because he cut the corner and was going pretty fast and then did a huge arc," said Frandrick.

Both witnesses said they overheard the driver saying the van's accelerator was stuck.

The male driver of the vehicle is facing alcohol-related charges.