Submitted by G.D. Simpson
August 8
At 9:00 p.m. Const. Meyer was parked and facing northbound at a rest stop on Highway 5, across from several local businesses in Clearwater. A black Dodge truck was travelling at 94 kilometres per hour in a 60 kilometer per hour speed zone.
The constable pulled the vehicle over and approached the driver door. The driver, a 32-year-old male from West Kelowna, jumped out and said he was trying to get to work. Const. Meyer smelled an odour of liquor on his breath, and noted he had glossy red eyes and could not stop talking.
The driver advised he had no driver’s licence and the vehicle didn’t have insurance on it and he started crying. His mother told him not to be driving. The driver was identified by his descriptors and the keyword on his invalid BC Driver’s licence.
He stated that he drank three hours ago, but single cans of unopened alcohol were observed in the vehicle. An alcohol screening device demand was read, to which the driver replied that he was going to fail. A breath sample was provided with a “FAIL” result, which was shown to the driver, and was advised that he was under arrest for impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
The registered owner of the vehicle is his brother, and resides at the same address. The driver quickly contacted his friend whom he missed his ride with, and who was minutes behind him and could pick him up. An immediate roadside prohibition information card read, and the driver understood his right to a second test which he refused. He was then issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition from driving and a 30-day vehicle impound.
A violation ticket was issued for speeding and no insurance. The vehicle was towed and stored by a local towing company. The driver was then picked up and transported to Valemount by his friend. All documents faxed to the office of RoadSafetyBC.
Earlier that afternoon at 3:46 p.m., a 52-year-old Kamloops woman called the RCMP to report a suspicious occurrence/fraud attempt at Dutch Lake in Clearwater. The complainant advised there was a vehicle parked just before the entrance to the beach with a single male driver, and provided a detailed description of him to police.
She advised that the male had asked for help claiming that he needed gas, but had no money. A second caller reported this same male, providing another very detailed description, was selling fake gold at Dutch Lake. He was reportedly wearing a blue shirt and driving a black Dodge SUV for which a plate number was provided.
Consts. Lockwood and Meyer made patrols all over Clearwater and were unable to locate the suspect vehicle. This information was passed on to neighbouring detachments. Police would like to remind the general public to be aware of these types of scams and frauds and to be diligent in reporting them. If it seems to good to be true, it very likely is!!
Clearwater RCMP responded to 70 calls for service this past week.
Sgt. G.D. Simpson is the detachment commander at the Clearwater RCMP Detachment. Anyone with information on a crime is encouraged to call Clearwater RCMP at 250-674-2237 or, to report anonymously, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.