Columbia Valley RCMP Report

By Cpl. Grant Simpson

Columbia Valley RCMP responded to 51 calls for service over this past week. A few of the more noteworthy calls are highlighted below.

On May 21, at approximately 6:46 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP responded to an injury motor vehicle accident on Highway 93/95, five km north of Fairmont Hot Springs.

Police attended the location and found a 2001 Ford Focus overturned down a steep embankment. There were four patients all with varying musculoskeletal injuries and one with a head injury. According to witnesses and the driver, the vehicle was northbound on Hwy 93/95, travelling approximately 90 – 100 km/h. The driver of the Focus attempted to pass motorcycles crossing the centre dotted line. However, a large truck was in the southbound lane, so the driver of the Focus abruptly turned back into the northbound lane losing control, due to a speed wobble causing an over correction and possibly the front passenger grabbing the wheel out of panic. The vehicle skidded off-road right and rolled numerous times landing on its roof. The Focus suffered major structural damage. All occupants were extricated by Windermere Fire Department and RCMP, which required the use of a rope system to get them up the steep embankment. They were then transported by BC Ambulance Service to Invermere and District Hospital.

Police attended to Invermere Hospital to confirm the occupants all sustained non-life threatening traumatic injuries with one being sent to Cranbrook’s East Kootenay Regional Hospital for further precautionary assessment due to a head injury. This incident is still under police investigation.

PMV vehicle B&E under investigation

On May 20, at approximately 5 p.m., an Albert resident called the Columbia Valley Detachment to report that on Monday May 19, between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m., her two duffle bags, a cooler, and her purse were stolen from a black 2012 X5 BMW. No debit cards, credit cards, identification, or money were stolen. The suspect(s) gained entry through the hatch back, which was left unlocked. The BMW was parked in the underground parkade at the Horse Thief Lodge in Panorama Mountain Village. There were no witnesses or suspects. Panorama Security will be checking video surveillance that is in the area while police continue to investigate.
Horsethief truck fire under investigation

Vehicle fire on Horsethief Road

On May 20, at approximately 9:54 p.m. Columbia Valley RCMP received a report of a vehicle fire approximately three kilometres up Horsethief Road from Park Street, Wilmer, just beyond Wilmer Lake.

Police attended and observed a fully involved truck fire parked on the side of Horsethief Rd. Invermere Fire Rescue was already on scene extinguishing the flames.

Firefighters stated there were two large explosions and the vehicle continued to burn despite water and foam, which could be an indication of a large amount of accelerant within the fire. The truck was a local red Dodge Ram 4×4 pickup. The vehicle had been abandoned and there were no witnesses present.

Police conducted a curfew check on the registered owner who was present at his residence and stated that his truck had broken down in town. This was why it wasn’t parked out front of his residence.

Police continue to investigate this matter and ask anyone with any information to contact them or Crimestoppers.

Woman gets ride home; loses car for 30 days

On May 23, at approximately 2 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP was conducting patrols throughout and around Invermere. While travelling east bound on Athalmer Road, police observed a white car in the oncoming lane with a burned out right headlight and a burned out right rear driving light. Police stopped the vehicle in front of the Petro-Canada on Laurier Street.

Queries on the licence plate revealed that the car was a white 1988 Honda Prelude. Police approached the driver of the vehicle and spoke to a female driver and determined she was also the registered owner of the Honda. Police could smell liquor on the driver and she admitted to having three beers six hours prior. Reasonable suspicion was obtained for police to conduct an impaired investigation and advised the driver of this. She provided two samples of her breath into an alcohol screening device, both of which recorded a “fail.” The driver was served a 90-day Immediate Roadside Driving Prohibition and her vehicle was impounded for 30 days. Police then provided transportation to the driver and her passenger.

Bear jam broken up

On May 26, at 7:19 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP were dispatched to an animal complaint near Olive Lake, in Kootenay National Park. The complainant reported that approximately 20 vehicles were parked on the highway shoulder with people outside their vehicles watching a Grizzly bear with two cubs. The bears were in the ditch, only few metres from the road and onlookers. Police attended and asked everyone to get back into their vehicles using their PA system. People got back into their vehicles but the number of vehicles parked on the roadway was still impeding traffic and creating a traffic hazard.

Police used their sirens to scare away the bears. Most vehicles departed. Police returned 10 minutes later and the bears were back, causing the same problem. Sirens were used again. Police had to deal with two unhappy wildlife photographers (one was clearly a professional given his equipment). Because the bears kept returning a few minutes after being scared away, police instructed the two photographers to make sure their vehicles were not impeding traffic, and to stay inside their vehicles. Both photographers agreed with this solution.

Police are reminding any drivers that encounter wildlife near or on the roadways to ensure that they slow to avoid collisions with them. Additionally, if they wish to stop to observe or photograph wildlife to ensure that they do so in a safe manner in order to avoid creating a traffic hazard or contact with the wildlife.

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