A man who was in a single-vehicle accident at approximately 3 a.m. today, was discovered six hours later by people who made a pit stop at Beaufort Picnic area in Cameron Lake, some 20 kilometres away from Qualicum Beach.
The man was extracted from the vehicle by fire crews, who along with the RCMP and BC Ambulance, attended the scene. The man was taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital with possible exposure and head injuries.
An RCMP officer at the scene said the cause of the accident has not yet been determined but the man in the car told the people who found him that he swerved to avoid an animal.
Traffic along the Alberni Highway was disrupted and flowed alternately.