Columbia Valley RCMP Report

By Cpl. Grant Simpson

Columbia Valley RCMP responded to 70 calls for service over the past week. A few of the more noteworthy calls are highlighted below, including one that was overlooked from the previous week.

Icy road causes crash

On February 28, at 8:28 a.m., a 30-year-old Edgewater woman was driving her 2011 blue Nissan Versa southbound on Highway 93/95 between the intersection of Sholinder’s gravel pit and Juniper Heights corner when she lost control of the vehicle driving at an estimated 70 to 80 km/h in the morning snowstorm.

She ended up doing two 360-degree rotations then went off road right before coming to rest in the ditch. Fortunately there was no damage and no injuries. BC Ambulance had come across the scene and so waited for arrival of RCMP.
A local tow company was called by the driver prior to police arrival. Police provided the driver with a ride to her place of work while her vehicle was towed without disruption to the highway. Icy road conditions were found to be the cause of this incident.

Extremely icy conditions to blame

On February 28, 2014 at 8:50 a.m. it was reported to Columbia Valley RCMP that there was a three-vehicle accident that occurred in the area of an earlier accident. Upon police arrival at this collision it was determined not to be related to the other two collisions reported as they had occurred further north. In this instance a 19-year-old Windermere female was travelling northbound on Hwy. 93/95 at the intersection of the Wilmer Pontoon Road when she failed to keep right and slid off road left bouncing off of the dirt mound on the north side of Wilmer Pontoon Road, then deflected right off road left off of Wilmer Pontoon Road and into the ditch on the south side. The vehicle`s air bags were deployed and the vehicle suffered extensive damage to the front end. Fortunately the young driver was uninjured. Extremely icy road conditions were to blame.

Alcohol consumption produced likely hallucination

On February 28, at approximately 11:53 p.m., a 73-year-old Invermere man reported four suspicious males attempting to pull down his fence.

Columbia Valley RCMP attended and spoke with the male who pointed out where the males were trying to damage his fence. Police noted that there was fresh snow without any tracks and there was no indication of any damage to his fence and the fresh snow was still undisturbed on the fence itself. While speaking with the male inside his home it became apparent to the investigators that the male had overindulged in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Despite his condition he was able to answer the correct date, was very sure of his surroundings, and appeared to have his faculties in order. He was advised to contact RCMP again if required and was satisfied with the police investigation.

Investigation continues into abandoned, damaged vehicle

On March 3, at 2:50 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received dispatch of a single vehicle collision at Kinsmen Beach. The complainant reported that there was a smashed 1993 Red Nissan Sentra blocking the entrance to the ice road. There was no one located on scene and no further information provided at that time. Cst. Sheppard attended and located a 1993 Nissan Sentra, which was registered to a 19-year-old Invermere woman. There were no license plates attached to the vehicle and it was uninsured. The vehicle was being driven off of the ice road when it struck a steel pole at the entranceway, causing extensive damages to the passenger side of vehicle with airbag deployment. Patrols of the area and local hospital were both negative. The vehicle was towed and police continue to investigate.

Toby Creek Road crash

On March 3, at 10:59 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP was advised of a single vehicle accident on the Toby Creek Road just west of Lake Lillian.

Police attended and observed a 1997 Toyota Tacoma lickup laying on the driver’s side in the east bound ditch facing west. The 27-year-old driver was on scene and advised he was uninjured. He stated that he was travelling east bound and entered into a sharp curve on the Toby Creek Road, when he approached a vehicle travelling westbound which appeared to be close if not over the snow covered centre line. He tried to tuck to the side of the road where he hit the soft snow, which sucked his vehicle into the ditch. The vehicle came to a stop when the front end caught the ground and spun around. The vehicle was towed out.

Crash in the Hoodoos S bend

On March 4, Columbia Valley RCMP were dispatched to a single vehicle MVI in which a northbound 2009 Hyundia Elantra, driven by a 44-year-old Canal Flats woman, entered into the ‘S’ bends at the Hoodoos after the Dutch Creek bridge, lost control on the icy road surface, struck the concrete barriers and then spun around backwards coming to rest on the shoulder of the roadway. The driver advised that she had some chest, hip and ankle pain and so was taken by BC Ambulance service to Invermere & District Hospital. The vehicle suffered some frontend damage and was not drivable.

DTSS floor hockey playdowns

Apparently having my son Blake work with me and provide me with some of his goaltending techniques has paid off. To date we are undefeated, going 5-0 and having no more than one goal scored against per game with back-to-back shutouts in the last two games! Defence has been outstanding and several RCMP players have stepped up their play in order to out work the opposition and put the puck in the net. It also doesn`t hurt us to have Marko sidelined with priority cuties and courses.

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