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Clearwater RCMP respond to 28 calls for service in past week

Clearwater RCMP responded to a number of calls for service including an alleged hit and run along Highway 5 near Blue River.

A roadside suspension, public intoxication leading to an overnight arrest and an alleged hit and run were some of the 28 calls Clearwater RCMP responded to in the last week.  

Sgt. Grant Simpson, detachment commander for the Clearwater RCMP, reported that on Monday, January 27, at 6:47 a.m., police received a call first from a Winnipeg, Manitoba man, and then from a Vavenby woman on behalf of one of the school bus drivers, who advised of a grey Dodge Ram 1500 parked in the eastbound lane of Highway 5, partially on the road and shoulder.

"The bus driver had observed the vehicle driving minutes before, slowing, and veering all over the roadway up the hill by Miller subdivision in Clearwater," said Simpson. "Const. Van Woudenberg was called out and attended, locating the Dodge with an Alberta license plate. The driver and registered owner from Devon, Alberta parked as described with the front end at approximately a 30-degree angle out into the roadway. A breath test was conducted with a result of two fails.” The Sgt. said a 90-day prohibition from driving was issued as well as a 30-day vehicle impoundment. The truck was then towed by the local tow company and the driver was dropped off at a local hotel. Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) were documents completed and were faxed to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.

Also on January 27, 2025, at 6:31 p.m., an employee called from a local hotel on Highway 5 in Clearwater to report an intoxicated male had been in the lobby all day. The employee suspected he may have used drugs, advising that he was passing out, and was hard to wake.

Const. Tobin attended and determined it was the driver and registered owner from the previous 90-day IRP file. Sgt.

“The driver had not obtained a room but based on his text messaging had made attempts to have people come pick him up in Clearwater to no avail," Simpson said. "Additionally, the employee advised that at 2:00 p.m. this male used the washroom for 15 minutes, and shortly after he exited, he began exhibiting significant symptoms of impairment.”  

Const. Tobin observed the male had an odour of liquor on his breath, very poor balance, watery blood shot eyes, very slurred speech, and his face was flushed. He was checked by BC Emergency Health Service personnel and he declined any assistance from them. He had no safe place to go and was not able to leave the hotel on his own, therefore he was arrested for mischief and public intoxication and lodged in cells until sober.

Simpson reported that on Jan. 30, 2025, at 1:41 p.m., Clearwater RCMP received a complaint from an Abbotsford truck driver of a hit-and-run collision. The truck driver advised that while he was executing a pass on Highway 5 just before Blue River, the tractor trailer he was passing, swerved into him. Sgt. Simpson was dispatched and contacted the complainant while setting up on the highway in a pull out.

“The complainant described the truck as red, pulling a flat deck trailer but had no plate at the time," said Simpson.

After awaiting both vehicles, Simpson observed a red truck pulling a flat deck pull onto Old North Thompson Highway and subsequently pulled this vehicle over. It turned out not to be the 'suspect' vehicle. Shortly thereafter Simpson returned to his position on the highway and eventually met with the complainant, who had since been texted a photo of the 'suspect' truck and its plate.

“Interestingly, the damage to the complainant’s truck was minimal, as only his passenger side mirror's casing had been broken (mirror still intact) and an aftermarket back up lamp was bent backwards," added Simpson. After finishing up with the complainant, the 'suspect' truck was observed passing by, so Sgt. Simpson said he pulled it over. The complainant was aware of this. The driver of this truck, a Surrey man, had quite a different story to the complainant’s, highlighting the speed at which the complainant had passed him while in the area of a previous tractor trailer crash site. The damage to his truck was also very minimal - a round wide angle back up mirror attached to his rear-view mirror had been broken. His regular mirror was intact.

Simpson said, "the complainant and ‘suspect’ discussed the incident exchanging information but were not happy with one another, passing blame back and forth. As it was a fairly minor sideswipe and fault was next to impossible to determine, no charges were laid, and no accident report completed as neither driver would be making an insurance claim.” Photos were obtained non the less, he noted.