Off-road mishap claims lives of popular influencers as they lost control and tumbled multiple times downhill
In a shocking turn of events, Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans, renowned for building the 'world's first Land Cruiser Chinook in 100 days,' tragically lost their lives in an off-roading accident near Trout Lake, British Columbia, on August 7, 2025.
The couple, who ran a popular off-roading YouTube channel and inspired many in the adventure community, were driving an SUV on a narrow section of an old mining road off Highway 31 in the West Kootenay region. The vehicle left the roadway and rolled down a steep embankment several kilometres up the road, resulting in their deaths.
The Kaslo RCMP responded to the single-vehicle collision report at about 6:30 p.m. on the day of the crash. Kaslo Search and Rescue was also alerted immediately and dispatched ground and quad teams to reach the site quickly. One manager arrived ahead on a motorbike to assess the terrain.
Stacey Tourout's mother confirmed their death in a heartbreaking social media post, while the exact cause of the crash remains unknown. It is believed they lost control of their vehicle, causing them to plummet down a mountain.
The couple was off-roading in the mountain region near Trout Lake in British Columbia at the time of their death. They had over 200,000 YouTube subscribers and more than 72,000 Instagram followers.
In their final YouTube video, uploaded on July 31, just about a week before they died, Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans documented their adventures through North and South America, a testament to their passion for off-roading.
Colin Stuart, who runs the Dirt Theory channel, was with the couple when the accident occurred. Despite his efforts to save them, he was unsuccessful. Shaun, the creator of The Story Till Now YouTube channel, was also in contact with the couple on the day before their death, as his jeep broke down.
The rescue operation was challenging due to the uphill journey to reach the victims. Rescuers found one of the victims dead at the scene, while the other was in a critical state and later died at the hospital.
The off-roading community mourns the loss of Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans, who were described as the "heart and soul" of the community in a tear-jerking obituary. Social media has been flooded with heartfelt tributes in remembrance of the couple.
The pair were known for their YouTube channel, Toyota World Runners, and their innovative RV retrofits, often combining parts of different vehicles to make them suitable for off-roading. It is unclear if they were driving the Land Cruiser Chinook at the time of the fatal crash.
Their legacy will undoubtedly live on, inspiring future generations of off-road adventurers.
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