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Elk Valley RCMP long weekend round-up
By S/Sgt. Svend Nielsen
Highways
Starting on Friday, May 19, Elk Valley RCMP completed speed enforcement along the highways within our jurisdiction at various times during the weekend, with the help of recently trained officers in Laser Speed Measuring Equipment or simply Police Laser (pictured above).
This resulted in over 30 speeding tickets, multiple written warnings, four drivers charged with distracted driving and two immediate roadside prohibitions for impaired being issued. Several other infractions were also noted.
One officer working at the time noted that our “highway was full of horrifically bad drivers,” with speeds of up to 147 km/hr recorded at one traffic incident.
Our enforcement efforts will continue throughout the summer in all of our communities, as each has identified speeding vehicles and impaired driving as community issues.
Three single vehicle or multiple vehicle collision events were attended to within the Elk Valley Regional RCMP area over the weekend. Thankfully no one was seriously injured, with one event closing Highway 3 through to the Alberta border briefly on May 19.
Speed signs are not your starting point from which to increase your speed while driving, but rather the maximum speed as judged by experts for our roadways to be driven safely in ideal conditions. Please slow down.
People sitting on railway tracks near Olsen rest area
On May 21, at approximately 1:15 p.m., Elk Valley RCMP received a call from Canadian Pacific Railway. CP Rail was reporting that along the tracks near the Olsen rest area along Highway 3, the conductors reported finding a large group of 15 individuals sitting on the railway tracks. The group had moved for the train after the warning whistle but had returned to walking along the railway.
Elk Valley RCMP attended and tried to identify the group, but they were gone on arrival. The group was likely a hiking group and using the tracks as a pathway to another location.
Police wish to remind the public that train tracks and the area extending out to 50 feet on either side of the tracks is considered private property and is crossing into that space is trespassing and is illegal. For your safety, please stay away from any local rail pathway.
Four lost teens located
On May 21, at approximately 9:52 p.m., Elk Valley RCMP responded to a complaint of a group of teens in distress by Mt. Hosmer on Hosmer Ridge near Fernie.
The four male youths, from 13-18 years of age, had been out looking for antler sheds with their hunting hounds and had gotten separated during the day, causing all four to become lost.
All parents were aware and had been out looking for the boys already, prior to contacting police.
The boy’s cell phones batteries had begun to fail, so one youth made the call to 911 requesting assistance after being charged at by a mother bear with two cubs.
A cellphone ping was initiated by police. Fernie and Sparwood Search and Rescue both attended to assist in locating the boys, as the youths had not planned to remain outdoors overnight and none were prepared for the changing conditions. At various times in the early morning, starting from around 2 to 6 a.m., all four boys were found safe and are back with their parents, having either been located or walked out to a location at the bottom of Mt. Hosmer.
Reminder
Police would like to remind all who are going into the backcountry to ensure they bring adequate clothing and food to survive in case of emergency or, if becoming lost and once in contact with emergency services, to remain in place unless provided guidance to do otherwise. In this case, SAR was able to get a location on one of the young men but found the boys had moved from that location when the search group got there.
Elk Valley RCMP is extremely grateful to our Fernie and Sparwood SAR groups for their hard work and dedication as well as for being so quick in response to what could have turned into a terrible event.
Elk Valley RCMP photo
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