By Cpl. Brent Ayers

Between the dates of July 6 and July 12, the Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment responded to 38 calls for service.

Busy weekend but well run

As many are aware, this past weekend the Columbia Valley played host to the Horsethief Hide Out Memorial Rally as well as the Heart Of The Rockies Triathlon.

I guess the common denominator for these two events were the use of primarily two wheels with the one event and two wheels for one-third of the other event. (Supposed to be funny). Further to the collage on Saturday was the Farmer’s Market in downtown Invermere.

Imagine being a police officer attempting to conduct traffic control for 140 bikers in amongst several blocks of vacationing shoppers. Awe inspiring to say the least.

The Columbia Valley Detachment, with the help of Southeast District Traffic Services, attempted to keep things relatively smooth throughout this past weekend. South East Traffic Services did conduct road checks within the valley and I believe over the course dealt with six impaired driver investigations taking the drivers and vehicles off the road, which was over and above other enforcement.

Thanks to the organizers of both the Horsethief Hide Out Memorial Ride as well as the Heart of the Rockies Triathlon for running their events smoothly and contributing in their very different ways towards a diverse vacationing experience in the Columbia Valley. Thanks to everyone, actually, as I am sure there were other events and behind the scene players that also contributed to the safe weekend. Being a typical Canadian, I do not wish to leave anyone out.

Road defect causes bike crash in KNP

On July 6, at 5:30 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP was dispatched to a single vehicle Motor Vehicle Incident, after a motorcycle went off the road near Vermillion Crossing on Highway 93 in the Kootenay National Park.

Columbia Valley RCMP met with Banff RCMP who had already attended on scene. The information from Banff was that it had been a car versus motorcycle but the information was incorrect. The Albert female rider had already been transported to Banff Hospital by ambulance. It was later gleaned that the rider had been transported to Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where she will be going in for surgery for a fractured tibia bone. The rider had also sustained bruised ribs. The rider had explained that the front motorcycle wheel had become caught in a large groove/gap in the centre of the road and it kicked her bike out to the side into the gravel. Columbia Valley RCMP obtained pictures of the groove/gap and it is a substantial defect in the road at this point.

Bike crash in Athalmer

On July 7, Columbia Valley RCMP was dispatched to a report of a motorcycle accident. Multiple motorcycles were travelling on Panorama Drive near Borden Street in Invermere. When they started to make the left hand bend in the road two of the bikes lost control when their wheels slipped out and the bikes crashed. The first rider had been rendered unconscious and was transported to Invermere & District Hospital with a right shoulder injury and road rash. The rider with a passenger both suffered bruises but no serious injuries and declined EHS. The roads were covered in calcium, which had been sprayed on the roads in error and this was rectified.

Impaired charge

On July 9, at 1:32 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP stopped a vehicle during a road block operation on Athalmer Road in Invermere. A vehicle was stopped with B.C. registration. The driver, when checked on the police database, was found to have been convicted of ‘driving with more than 80 mgs of alcohol in blood’ in 2003 and 2009. The driver admitted to have consumed one beer and provided a breath sample, which resulted in a FAIL reading. This led the police officer to believe that the driver had operated the motor vehicle with more than 80 mgs of alcohol in their blood. The driver was detained for impaired driving, chartered and warned verbatim from card, and brought back to the detachment where they were given an opportunity to contact a lawyer in private. The driver later provided two valid breath sample of 150mgs/100ml and 130mgs/100ml of blood. The driver was released on an Appearance notice for court at a later date as well as a Notice of Prohibition, a 24-hour suspension and a Notice to seek greater punishment.

Another impaired charge

On July 10, at 1:52 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP stopped a male driver operating a rental vehicle on Athalmer Road at Lakeview Road, Invermere during a roadblock. The driver of a Dodge Charger admitted to drinking alcohol prior to driving. Their breath smelled of liquor. The driver provided one proper breath sample into an Approved Screening Device which resulted in a ‘FAIL’ reading. The driver refused to provide a second sample and was subsequently detained for impaired driving, as well as breach of curfew and alcohol conditions from unrelated files. The driver’s license was seized and he was served a 90-Day Immediate Roadside Prohibition. The vehicle was impounded by Kool Country Towing for 30 days.

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