By Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuck

During the past week the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment received about 60 calls for service.  The following is a small sample of those calls.

Lack of communication in park causes confusion

On February 28, at about 7 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received a report of a single vehicle motor vehicle incident on Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park. The complainant reported that there was a yellow Chevrolet Cobalt in the ditch on its roof in the park.

When they came across the vehicle they did not have any cell service but called police once they could use their phone. They further advised that they did not stop to determine if anyone was injured. Consequently, an ambulance was dispatched and RCMP was en route to the scene; fortunately while on the way the responding RCMP member was flagged down by a passing vehicle, which had stopped and picked up the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.

The driver advised that he was not injured and that he had been travelling eastbound when his car began to slide through a curve in the road. He attempted to correct but eventually lost control of the car. It then crossed both lanes and overturned in a snow bank. The driver was provided transportation to Radium Hot Springs to make necessary travel arrangements. RCMP went on to the collision scene and located the vehicle in the ditch east of Olive Lake. Roads were wet with a small amount of ice at the time of attendance.

Impaired walker rescued

During the morning hours of March 1, Columbia Valley RCMP was dispatched to a report of an intoxicated male walking along Highway 93/95 south of the Invermere crossroads. The male was reportedly staggering and falling down.

RCMP made some immediate patrols in the area and found a male hitchhiker. The intoxicated male was happy to see police and once police learned his identity we were able to get him a ride home. The male was cold and tired and released to a sober responsible person at his residence.

Hit and run at the Red Apple

On March 4, at 9 a.m., RCMP received a front counter complaint surrounding a hit and run that occurred in Invermere the night before. The complainant reported that on March 3 her Saturn had been parked in the Red Apple parking lot when it was damaged. She had gone into the store and when she departed the store she noticed that the vehicle had received damage to the front fender. She advised that the parking lot was empty when she left the store and no note was left on her vehicle. RCMP assessed the damage and ascertained that it was consistent with a hit and run collision. Police are asking that if anyone saw the damage done to the Saturn they call the detachment or Crimestoppers.

Early morning taxi mix-up

On March 5, at about 3 a.m., RCMP received complaint from a taxi operator who reported one of his clients had been assaulted. The rider was accused by a waiting client of taking the taxi before his turn. After the male got in the cab, an unknown male opened the door and punched him in the face for “stealing” the cab. The RCMP spoke to male who was assaulted, who in turn advised his injuries were superficial at best and that he didn’t really care about the punch and wished the matter dropped.

No charges in side-swipe

During the morning of March 7 another motor vehicle incident was reported to Columbia Valley RCMP.

This incident involved a two-vehicle side-swipe collision that occurred at the east bound merge situated on Laurier Street in Invermere just before the bridge. An Australian driver in a vehicle she rented from Alberta was merging from the right lane into the left lane and failed to signal her intentions to move over. Subsequently, she collided with another vehicle. There were no injuries to drivers or passengers and damage to both vehicles combined were estimated at around $4,000. The vehicles were drivable. No charges were laid in this matter.

Interesting statistics from the week also witnessed 14 traffic related complaints, six responses to false alarms, two bylaw noise complaints, two abandoned 911 calls and one theft of articles from a vehicle.

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