Columbia Valley RCMP Report

Hats off to the Kopp family for sharing their story with the community in regards to Matthew’s recent accident.

Also to Matthew for sharing this further with his friends via Facebook to get an important message out there. When I was first shown the picture by Cst. Ralph my first comment was: “Is this a fatality?” The events demonstrates the extreme gut wrenching low of  family and friends thinking they lost a loved one when the vehicle is first seen, to the ultimate high, of the realization the driver survived. We can preach it and it’s in one ear and out the other. Sharing this story brings it close to home.

Incarceration may loom

On March 13, at 10 p.m., a 29-year-old male with NFA at the time was arrested in Radium Hot Springs on breach of undertaking and a warrant out of Cranbrook.  The male was released from charges out of Cranbrook and failed to notify a change of address or abide from a curfew.  The male appeared in court in Cranbrook and was placed under house arrest with further strict conditions. Crown will be calling for incarceration at the next court appearance.

Local runs into visitor on Toby Creek Road

Also on March 13, Columbia Valley RCMP officers responded to a two-vehicle accident on Toby Creek Road, half way up to Panorama Mountain Village.  A 2001 Honda driven by a 31-year-old female from Invermere lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve traveling west bound. The vehicle made contact with an east bound vehicle – a 2012 Dodge Caravan, driven by a 51-year-old male from Ontario. In an attempt to avoid the Honda it hit a cement barrier. There were no injuries to any of the drivers.

Damaged sign

On March 15, Columbia Valley Detachment received a report of a damaged sign at the Radium Liquor store.

Also on March 15, the detachment received a complaint of a traffic hazard that involved a commercial vehicle losing some of its load of peat moss on Hwy. 93, 15 km into Kootenay National Park and on Hwy. 93/95.  The vehicle was located and a 49-year-old male from Duncan was charged with an insecure load.

No injuries in KNP crash

On March 16, Columbia Valley Detachment members attended to a single vehicle accident on Hwy. 93 in Kootenay National Park (KNP).  A 2007 Chev pickup, driven by a 48-year-old male from Coquitlam, rolled over onto its side. The driver was charged with fail to keep right. The driver and three passengers received no injuries.

Officer assaulted by young woman

On March 17, at 11:41 p.m., RCMP responded to a disturbance complaint in the 4300 block of Coy Rd.

Investigation revealed that an 18-year-old female from Invermere entered the property and caused damage by smashing the window on a vehicle and confronted another male living on the property. Police attended and during the arrest of the female, she turned and punched the police officer in the chest. The female is charged with mischief and assault police officer and will appear in Invermere Provincial court. The female was also given a 24 hours driving prohibition.

Update floor hockey

Last regular season game RCMP 7 – DTSS students 4. RCMP gets the President trophy for securing first place with a record of 5-1, and now wait for the boys to determine who meets us in the championship round to win the Rotary Challenge Cup. Our confidence level is very high.

Crazy certified Corporal

Had the pleasure of working with Darryl, a friend in Sicamous. He was a corporal at the time and I was a constable. We ended up working an area where there was a serious protest and standoff going on.

It was a large operation where they brought in military vehicles. The vehicles were armored personal carriers or APCs. Basically a tank. Our job was simple; stay well in the back ground with our police vehicle at a road check on a very dusty gravel road.  The problem we experienced is that these APC drivers were not kind enough to slow down to cut down the dust as they went by us. Pretty ignorant in our view. Our police cars were well to the side of the road and pretty much near a curve that did not interfere with the speed of these APCs until… Darryl got so miffed by these drivers that he decided he would slow them down and moved the car on an angle blocking half the road. WITH ME IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I informed Darryl that he can’t leave the police vehicle in this spot; we would get run over. Darryl, for some reason, was confident that they would come around the corner and slow down. Maybe, I thought.  When these APCs travel you can hear them rumble and shake the ground from a distance and you can see the dust bearing down on you. That’s what came next. Ground-a-rumbling, dust-a-flying and getting closer and I turned to Darryl and said, “Okay, enough, move the car.”  His response, “No, staying right here.” I noted that the angle he parked the police vehicle was not in my favor.  I witnessed an APC go into a four wheel skid and Darryl told me it almost came to a near stop. I saw the skid but did not see the near stop. My eyes were closed as I went into a fetal position calling for my Mama, waiting for the impact.

Darryl turns to me, “Told you they would slow down.” The military probably did a brief and told them to watch for the crazy officers on curve three. We kept that position for the rest of our stay.

Above image: Toby Creek Road’s many sharp corners and higher elevation mean it can be a treacherous piece of road if drivers are not on their game at all times.

S/Sgt. Marko Shehovac,

Columbia Valley RCMP detachment NCO

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