Clearwater RCMP responded to 41 calls for service in the week ending on July 27.
On July 23 at 8:21 a.m., Clearwater RCMP received a call from a Jasper, Alberta woman, advising of a motor vehicle incident on Highway 5 north of Vavenby.
“A gold Ford F-350 had gone off-road into the ditch," said Sgt. Grant Simpson, Clearwater RCMP detachment commander. "The complainant advised the driver was a male, who she knew from Jasper, evacuated due to the fires. She advised he has a lot of history of driving while impaired." Const. Van Woudenberg attended, but there was no one at the scene. Simpson added the truck, which had Alberta plates, was registered to a woman from McBride.
“Blood was observed, and the complainant confirmed the driver had definitely got out the driver’s seat and his ankle had appeared possibly broken,” said Simpson. Van Woudenberg checked with the local hospital and medical clinic, but no one was there, and no calls related to an injured person were received. Calls to the driver went directly to voice mail. The driver has a suspended driver’s licence and a lengthy history of driving while impaired.
On July 25, a Clearwater woman attended the detachment to report an ongoing theft of returnable empty bottles and cans that her son and some other youth are collecting in order to fundraise for their rugby team's upcoming trip to Argentina.
“People have been dropping off donations at different private locations for that reason," said Simpson. "A white male on a scooter repeatedly attends these private residences and enters the property to help himself to the empties.” The complainant asked the RCMP to talk to the male, who was identified as a local man. Van Woudenberg attended his residence and warned him not to continue taking the bottles and cans in the future. “The male of course denied doing anything of the sort," said Simpson. "However, he was warned that theft charges could be considered if his behaviour continues.”
On July 27, at 1:56 p.m., Clearwater RCMP received a call from an anonymous caller. The caller reported a Salmon Arm man who smelled strongly of liquor was sitting in his BMW outside the Birch Island store.
“Const. Van Woudenberg called the complainant, who provided the name of this male," said Simpson. The constable attended and observed the BMW still in the parking lot of the store, so he parked and waited for the car to leave. A police check on the driver showed him to be a prohibited driver, and the registered owner of a BC-plated BMW.
Van Woudenberg observed the car pull onto the road and conducted a traffic stop. “The driver admitted to being the registered owner and was arrested for driving while prohibited under Sec. 95 of the Motor Vehicle Act," said Simpson. "While dealing with the driver a strong smell of liquor was coming from him. Const. Van Woudenberg read the Alcohol Sensing Device demand and the driver blew once, resulting in a FAIL."
The driver refused the second test. His vehicle was towed and the driver was released on an Appearance Notice and provided with transport to his brother’s residence in Vavenby. The investigation is ongoing.
