Rich Coleman and his constituency executive assistant Sheryl Strongitharm were injured in a car accident on July 4.

Strongitharm was driving the MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove along Mt. Lehman Road, on their way to the airport, when she swerved to avoid an orange traffic post that was sitting in the road.

The car caught the soft shoulder and as she tried to correct the steering, the car went out of control and hit a ditch. It slid on its side for approximately 100 feet.

Both suffered extensive bruising but no broken bones.Coleman said that the deep sides of the ditch prevented the car from rolling. The vehicle was totaled.

Emergency responders pulled Strongitharm out through the back of the car, placed her on a back board and took her to hospital. She was released the same day.

Coleman was suspended in such an awkward position that he could not open the passenger door. A man who was one of the first people on the scene wrenched open the passenger door, and another man helped pull the minister out.

Coleman suffered injuries to his neck, shoulder, lower back, chest and left knee. Both were wearing seat belts.