Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
Zack Fry wasn’t expecting to get hit the day after playing a CFL game.
Less than 24 hours after the Saskatchewan Roughriders visited the B.C. Lions on July 19 in Week 7, the 24-year-old Fry and two other teammates were driving home from team meetings at Mosaic Stadium when they were T-boned by another vehicle at the intersection of Elphinstone St. and Victoria Ave.
The vehicle that the three Roughriders were in flipped over on its roof but they were all able to walk away with minor injuries.
“We were just driving; someone ran a red light, hit our car,” Fry told the Leader-Post this week. “Luckily, for how big of an accident it was, no serious injury. I only missed a week which is awesome.”
Fry, who was in the backseat, said he didn’t see the other car coming before it struck them.
“Just got hit and then we were flipped upside down,” said Fry. “(My teammate) was telling me to get out of the car. He didn’t want to be in there; anyone wouldn’t want to be in there.
“We just opened the door when we were upside down. And then we just crawled out.
“And a lot of teammates were around because we were just leaving after a meeting. So a lot of support from a lot of guys; about four cars pulled to make sure we’re all right.”
Fry was told onlookers who witnessed the collision were able to track down the driver of the other vehicle after he had fled the scene.
“I think he got arrested shortly after just down the street,” said Fry. “He was running away after.
“A lot of people from outside, just the neighbourhood heard (the crash), so they all just ran him down. They were calling the cops and stuff. (Police) tracked him down and got him like, a couple minutes after.”
According to the Regina Police Service, a 39-year-old male was arrested a few blocks from the collision scene and charged with impaired operation of a conveyance (vehicle), failure to stop after an accident, theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Police say the male was taken into custody without further incident and made his first court appearance on July 21. According to Provincial Court, the male did not attend his second scheduled court appearance on Aug. 11, and bench warrant was issued as a result.
As for Fry, while it’s the first time he’s been involved in a rollover, he said playing along the offensive line in a football game is similar to experiencing a crash like he was involved in.
“Pretty comparable because it feels like you’re kind of in a mini car accident every single time you’re out there playing O-line,” said Fry, a second-round pick by the Riders in the 2022 CFL draft. “We got super lucky with nothing worse than what we had.
“Mild injuries for something that could have been a lot more serious and just happy that everyone else is healthy.”
After starting the previous two games along the offensive line at left guard, Fry was forced to miss Saskatchewan’s Week 8 contest against the Edmonton Elks with what he called a “minor neck injury” after the crash.
“Playing a game the day before and then getting hit by a car, they asked me how I was feeling and I couldn’t tell if it was from the game or the accident and stuff,” said Fry.
The 6-foot-5, 288-pound London, Ont. product returned to his starting role in Week 9 against the Montreal Alouettes before Saskatchewan’s recent bye week gave him a chance to rest his bumps and bruises further.
“Back to normal; body feels good,” said Fry, who will be in the starting lineup on Saturday (1 p.m., TSN) when the Roughriders host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Mosaic Stadium. “It was good to get that game in before the bye week, and now that extra time just to fully heal up.
“It was crazy to be a part of.”
tshire@postmedia.com
