Salmon Arm Crime Chronicles New Year edition

December 31

Lakeshore Dr NW: At 10pm Salmon Arm RCMP were on new years eve patrol actively searching for possible impaired drivers. Police observed a white Hyundai Sonata westbound on Lakeshore Dr with no rear tail lights illuminated. The Sonata appeared to suddenly turn into a nearby closed fast food restaurant and the driver exited the vehicle immediately upon stopping. Police conducted a traffic stop, and spoke with the 48-year-old male driver who smelled of alcohol. Police also observed and open box of beer cans in the rear seat. The driver admitted to consuming one beer one hour earlier. A breath demand was conducted and the driver blew a fail. The driver declined his right to a second test after pleading with the officer they had the wrong guy and that he just driven a friend to the hospital. Police advised him if a sober driver was not available, that they should be calling an ambulance if someone needed immediate transport to the hospital. Police received a later report that the driver was observed obviously drunk inside a local restaurant, was accosting customers and asked to leave, shortly before being stopped by police. The vehicle was impounded for 30 days, and the driver was prohibited from driving for 90 days. The matter was referred to RoadSafetyBC.

January 1

Auto Rd: At 12:30am police received a complaint about a grey Dodge Ram 1500 stunting, doing donuts, and leaving at a high rate of speed. Police had received several similar previous reports in the area, similar in nature over the previous two months. The complainant was able to provide a licence plate, and also surveillance footage, and wished to pursue charges if the truck was located. Police located the truck with matching plate on 30th St SE about 30 minutes later. The lone occupant and registered owner, a class 7 male driver claimed he had lent his truck out to a friend in the preceding 30 minutes. Unfortunately for him, his truck started new years day with a fresh start in the impound lot, for 7 days, for stunting. He was also served a $197 violation ticket for driving without consideration.

January 2

100 block Trans Canada Hwy: At 4:30am a woman reported her friends vehicle was stolen from the 100 block of Trans Canada Hwy 1. Police attended and met with 37-year-old Phoebe who explained she had permission to drive her friend Rachel’s Audi Q5 from Mission up to Salmon Arm, with their friend Monica to visit Ross and see how they were doin’ in Salmon Arm. Police learned that Rachel had chosen not to come on the trip. Phoebe claimed that Ross had kicked her out that night but wouldn’t elaborate. Police spoke with Ross who reported that he didn’t know Phoebe that well, and she was stealing stuff from his apartment so he told her to leave because they were on a break. Police spoke further with Phoebe who then claimed that Monica had stolen the Audi Q5, and did not have permission to drive it. Police called the owner of the Audi, Rachel who was in Mission, and sounded intoxicated over the phone. Rachel claimed that the vehicle was actually registered to Gunther, who had lent the vehicle to Chandler, who had lent the vehicle to Monica. Further police queries showed the vehicle was actually registered to Rachel, who wasn’t much help to police. The whole episode appeared to be a comedy of errors. Police determined that Monica had permission to drive the vehicle, thought Phoebe was doing it wrong, so she left in the Audi Q5 without Phoebe who was suspected of stealing from Ross. Phoebe was left at a central coffee shop to find her own way back to Mission, or maybe do some couch surfing. This was an actual event, only the names have been changed.

Sunnybrae Canoe Pt Rd: At 10:15pm a complainant reported he had caught a man trying to break into vehicles, and then departed after being confronted. The complainant and some friends followed the suspects foot prints in the snow, tracking them to a nearby residence with a rental suite. The footprints appeared to have entered the suite, then departed again to a different nearby residence. The complainant and his friends tracked the prints to that residence and located the same man they had caught trying to break into vehicles. The suspect admitted breaking into the residence looking for loose alcohol. Salmon Arm RCMP arrived on scene and arrested the suspect for break and enter, and mischief. The man was later released with a future court date to speak to the charges.