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Columbia Valley RCMP Report
By Cpl. Grant Simpson
Columbia Valley RCMP responded to approximately 81 calls for service over the past week. Here are just a few of them.
e-mail scam under investigation
On August 27, a local female attended the Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment to enquire about a cheque she’d received as she believed it was a possible scam. She stated she had been corresponding via e-mail with a man who advised he was currently residing in Belgium.
The male was requesting she provide counseling for his daughter and sent her a cheque for $3,800. He asked her to deposit the cheque and pay out a couple of different individuals with the money (for airfare, chaperon for his daughter – name unknown).
She became suspicious and suspected a scam. The cheque came from Canaccord Financial located in Vancouver. Police called and spoke with a representative with Canaccord who stated they’ve had numerous calls about the fraudulent cheques with their logo on them.
The representative believed that whoever is running the scam has made duplicates of an original joint Canaccord/BMO cheque and has been forging serial numbers and cheque numbers. Investigation is ongoing.
Mystery of the armed cyclist solved
On August 29, A motorist called RCMP to advise of a suspicious male riding a bicycle on Highway 95 near Edgewater, who appeared to have a concealed rifle under his shirt.
The motorist provided a detailed description of the cyclist. The motorist last saw the male entering into Edgewater. Police attended and conducted patrols. After some discussion, attending members agreed that the description of the male could be a subject who is well known to members.
Members attended to the subject’s home and spoke with him there. After a few minutes of denying it, the male admitted to have been riding his bike on the highway and stated he had a BB gun under his shirt which he had found on the highway. He stated that he found the gun, but did not want to leave it on the highway, so brought it with him into Edgewater.
He went on to say that he spoke with a male who was searching in the area and advised his BB gun had fallen out of the back of his truck on the highway. The cyclist advised he returned the BB gun to the male searching for it and carried on his way. The male invited members into his home to ensure a rifle was not present or insecure. Home cleared with no sign of any firearms.
One in hospital after two car crash
On August 30, at 12:23 p.m., RCMP dispatch reported that EHS was requesting police assistance with a minivan in a ditch on Highway 93/95 and Fairmont Resort Road in Fairmont Hot Springs. Columbia Valley RCMP members attended to a two motor vehicle accident.
There was a brown 1998 Toyota Sienna in the ditch on the southwest side of Fairmont Resort Rd. and a blue 2014 Dodge Caravan stopped on the west side of the highway, blocking the eastbound lane on Fairmont Resort Rd.
The female driver of the Sienna sustained head and neck injuries and was transported to Invermere & District Hospital, then to East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook. Her sons were in the Sienna; however, none of them were injured.
The male driver of the Caravan was uninjured. His wife and her sister who were travelling with him were also uninjured.
Investigation revealed that the Sienna was travelling south on Highway 93/95, when the Caravan, attempting to cross the highway from east to west, did not yield to the Sienna’s right of way. The front right bumper and hood of the Caravan was damaged. The front left bumper and hood and the entire left side of the Sienna was damaged. Photos and statements were obtained on scene. The driver of the Caravan was issued a violation ticket for failing to yield after stop, Sec 175(1) MVA.
Woman arrested for assault
On August 30, at 4:59 p.m., RCMP dispatch reported to Columbia Valley members that a particular male and female were not supposed to be at an apartment complex situated in the 1000 block of 13th Avenue as per the landlord’s instruction.
A female resident there reported that the specified individuals were intoxicated and refusing to leave. Members attended and found both the male and female there. Both were outside and the female was yelling at the complainant and was notably intoxicated as she was slurring her words, her balance was wobbly, and she had a beer in her hand. Police arrested her for being intoxicated in a public place, Sec 41 LCA and for causing a disturbance, Sec 175CC.
While searching the female, another member advised the arresting member to re-arrest the female for assault as it was learned that the female had assaulted the complainant. The female was additionally arrested for assault, Sec 266CC. She was then brought to Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment and lodged in cells. The female was released the following morning on a Promise to Appear with an assault charge and an Undertaking.
The female was also served a violation ticket for intoxicated in a public place, under Section 41 of the LCLAct.
Police attended security guard call
On August 30, at 10:55 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received a report of threats from a Lakeview Meadows security guard who advised an unknown male had been yelling at him from the beach area of Lakeview Meadows while he was conducting his routine patrols. The security guard advised that the male had told him he was going to, ‘kick your head in if you get out of that truck.’ Security wasn’t completely sure who the male was or if the male had actually been yelling at him but requested police attend.
Columbia Valley RCMP responded to the report and conducted patrols in the area on foot for the male with negative results at the time. Investigation is ongoing.