Man facing charges in relation to arson-caused wildfires near Stave Lake/Mission
An investigation into a series of deliberately set fires near Stave Lake has resulted in arson charges against one Lower Mainland man. Christopher White, 35, has been charged with three counts of arson, damage to property under Section 434 of the Criminal Code of Canada. Mr. White is making his first court appearance today,...
Shambhala results in 84 new drug investigations, multiple impaired drivers
Kootenay RCMP Traffic Services have been extremely busy this week as more than 12,500 people leave Shambhala, according to Cpl. Chad Badry. “Police have opened 84 illegal drug investigation files so far,” Badry said. “The majority of the investigations involved multiple types of drugs. Drugs that are known so far before...
Hit-and-run sends one to hospital; police ask public for information
Local police are looking for an Alberta driver after a hit-and-run Friday morning sent at least one person to hospital Friday. The incident occurred on Hwy 3B at a place called Wedding Cake Corner, according to Trail top cop Sgt. Darren Oelke, whose detachment got the call at roughly 8:35 a.m. “A small black car with Alberta...
UPDATE: Krestova incident tied to gun theft from Trail museum
Laurence Darren Charles McKay, 35, of Krestova, is facing three counts of Attempted Murder, one count of Committing an Assault while in Possession of a Weapon – (firearm), one count of Uttering Threats, and one count of Possession of a Firearm while prohibited from possessing a firearm. When McKay was arrested, police also ...
Roadside enforcement near Castlegar reveals 'alarming' trend
A four-day enforcement effort about eight kilometres out of Castlegar on Highway 3B (the route to Grand Forks) has left police deeply concerned about dangerous driving along that stretch of highway, according to RCMP West Kootenay Traffic Services Cpl. Phil Mager. Mager said that, in just four days, police impounded more than...
Driver clad in his birthday suit goes on crime spree in downtown Vernon
The Vernon RCMP responded to a single vehicle collision on 30th Avenue in Vernon, where a man dressed only in his birthday suit crashed his vehicle into a store front. On Friday afternoon on Aug. 5, the Vernon RCMP received a report that a 1996 Jeep Cherokee SUV had crashed into a local business in the […]
Vandals threaten safety of BC Wildfire Service crews
BC Wildfire Service radio communications equipment was deliberately vandalized sometime between July 29 and Aug. 2, 2016, putting the safety of firefighting personnel at risk. The communications equipment is located on Thompson Mountain in the Southeast Fire Centre and is accessible from the Thompson Rim Trail. The equipment was damaged beyond repair and it will […]
West Kootenay Traffic Services report busy weekend; caution people attending Shambhala Music Festival
West Kootenay Traffic Services reported a busy weekend of traffic this BC Day Holiday Weekend but no serious accidents in the region. Cpl. Chad Badry of the RCMP West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit said police saw an increase in the volume of traffic while officers targeted aggressive drivers and impaired drivers....
UPDATE: Three suspects in gun robbery appear in court
Second update: Two suspects in a dramatic gun robbery at Canadian Tire in Trail last Wednesday will remain in custody following an appearance in Nelson court today. James Duncan Beetstra, 31, and Dustin Paul Zier, 33, are to be held by police until their next court appearnace, slated for July 29. Dori Ann Swanson, 41, was...
Joint task force mobilized to scale up overdose response
British Columbia is experiencing an unprecedented rise in overdoses. In response to this, Premier Christy Clark announced Wednesday a newly-formed Joint Task Force on Overdose Response headed by provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall and Clayton Pecknold, director of police services. Other members are still being determined...
