Snowshoers on way home hit black ice in crash that killed three

CALGARY — A day snowshoeing in the mountains ended in tragedy for two couples after a deadly crash in which their SUV plunged into the icy waters of the Spray Lakes Reservoir.

Sole survivor Jaimie Waugh, a mother of two boys from the Calgary bedroom community of Cochrane, escaped the crash that killed three. She is recovering with family and friends.

"She’s empty. She’s lost her brother and her husband and her best friend," said relative Sue Remmer.

Dead are Jennifer and Darrin Waugh, and Jaimie’s husband James (Roddy) Allan.

"They’d had a great day. From what I know, they were just driving home and hit some black ice and lost control and it rolled down," said Remmer, who is Jennifer and Darrin’s sister-in-law.

Jaimie and Roddy had recently moved from Ontario to Cochrane to be closer to family. They had lived here for just a few months.

The tight-knit family is devastated with grief, Remmer said.

"Besides being brother and sister, Jaimie and Darrin were close, close friends. I married into this amazing family. We’re more than family, we’re best friends," said Remmer.

"It’s a huge loss for many, many people."

Spray Lakes Reservoir is in the foothills about 125 kilometres west of Calgary.