There were 70 calls for service from August 2 through till August 28.

August 21

At 10:44 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received a noise complaint about loud music and staff partying at the staff housing area for Fairmont Resort. The issue has been ongoing and this has been reported before.  While en route, another call was received from a different complainant who also reported excessive noise from the staff building. In this instance, the subjects were not located upon police arrival.

August 23

At 11:30 p.m., members of the Columbia Valley RCMP attended to a residence in Spillamacheen on an unrelated curfew check file for the probation office and came across two dirt bikes and one quad hidden under camouflage.  The quad VIN had been ground off however the motor bikes were confirmed as stolen.  This file still under investigation.

August 24

At 6:50 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP were notified by dispatch of a single vehicle rollover on Johnston Road, 100 metres west of the Westside Road intersection in Invermere.  RCMP attended with BC Ambulance and the  Invermere Fire Department were already on scene. A vehicle was on its side in the shallow creek, submerged about 6 inches with no people around. It was gleaned that a male and female came into the hospital with facial injuries at around 3 a.m. The male driver received stitches to his forehead and the female passenger received a couple cracked ribs and a bloody nose. Alcohol was a factor.  A violation ticket was issued for failure to remain at scene of accident.

At 6:45 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP responded to a report of an impaired driver in Fairmont Hot Springs and were told that the driver of a black Ford extended cab pickup truck was being driven by an intoxicated male.  The members were advised where he was camped and upon attendance found an adult male passed out behind the wheel of the truck.  The lone male had a half full beer in his left hand and the gear shifter in his right.  The keys were in the ignition in the off position.  The male was awoken by police and detained for care and control of a motor vehicle.  The subject was taken back to the Columbia Valley detachment for breath samples after which he provided two breath samples which were both 150 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood, almost double the legal limit.

August 25

The Red Streak Campground in Radium Hot Springs phoned the RCMP to report that there was a drunk man shooting a sling shot at people. Members of the Columbia Valley RCMP  attended and spoke with the primary suspect who said he was shooting a sling shot but never shot it at anyone. A witness was spoken with who advised that the suspect male started yelling at a woman and called her an expletive, then got out of his chair and shot a rock from his sling shot across the road hitting the building only feet from the female victim. The female camper/victim confirmed that this had happened and that she was very afraid that the suspect male  would return.  It was decided by the Columbia Valley RCMP that the suspect male be evicted from Red Streak Campground campsite to prevent further issues. The male suspect was upset and refused to admit anything to police, however left his camp site after being evicted under the National Parks Act.

The Columbia Valley RCMP conducted boat patrols on Lake Windermere in Windermere. Members were checking boats and occupants for compliance under the Canada Shipping Act.  Members checked approximately 30 boats over the course of 4.5 hours. The main issue on the lake were people on paddle boards in the open water without life jackets. It appears that people are unaware that when on a paddle board they are required to wear a PFD. Members utilized this opportunity to educate people on the water.

August 26

At 1:33 a.m., members of the Columbia Valley RCMP were on foot patrol at Buds Bar in Invermere. A group of males came rolling out the front door of the bar and appeared to be fighting. Members broke up the fight and a local known male was detained for assault. The arrested male stated that he had entered the bar and saw his friend fighting.  He saw a bouncer jump on his friend’s back and this male punched the bouncer in the face.  This local male has been banned from Buds bar for one year.

At 8:41 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP were notified of a suspicious male at the Tim Hortons in Invermere. The male was in the restaurant bothering customers and talking to himself. Police transported the male to the detachment where he was singing in the back of the police car. The male was placed in cells where he continued to act strangely, dancing and rambling.  The male was fine by the morning and released to family.  The members after doing some online research feel that the male was possibly experiencing crystal meth withdrawal as from actions observed in cells.  Unfortunately, a sign of the times.

Columbia Valley RCMP wish to remind people that a form of elder abuse is the repeated request for financial assistance by children or grandchildren from their elders. There are times in which we may wish to assist our family if they have fallen upon hard times and some people have the financial ability to do this without affecting their retirement savings. Unfortunately, good will can be taken advantage of repeatedly to the point that the savings put aside by an elder is severely compromised. Younger family members can intimidate through guilt or fear of abandonment.  If you are being victimized or know someone who is a victim in this regard, you may report it to the Columbia Valley RCMP and options can be discussed.