Yellowknife (Aug 13/03) - Firefighters cut open the cab of a pickup truck to rescue a trapped passenger after the truck lost control and crashed on the Ingraham Trial near Pontoon Lake on Saturday.

RCMP are awaiting the results of a blood test. Charges will be laid against the driver if his blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.

Greg Robichaud was fishing around 7 p.m. when he heard a loud crash. He rushed to the scene and saw the driver get out of a crinkled-up pickup truck and fall over.

The man complained of a head injury and chest pain. At the same time, members of the Yellowknife Ground Search and Rescue were returning from an exercise on Ingraham Trail. They provided first aid until ambulances arrived.

Robichaud helped them tape up the man's arm. "It was bleeding pretty bad," he said.

The passenger was stuck in the truck and semi-conscious. Robichaud talked to him, to help keep him conscious.

He noticed the smell of alcohol.

The two patients were rushed to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One was released shortly after being admitted.

Fishing tackle was strewn around the crash scene, and traffic was stopped for about an hour.

RCMP Insp. Paul Richards said the driver's wheels got sucked into the gravel at the side of the road. He then turned his wheel too far to the left, and the truck went out of control and rolled over.

A puppy named Martin was also in the truck when it crashed. It suffered a small cut over its right eye and was taken to the veterinarian.