Staff at the Vernon RCMP detachment are remembering a respected colleague.
Blair Imrie, 62, died in a motor vehicle accident in northern California Tuesday. He was a retired RCMP officer and had been the city’s records manager at the local detachment between 1999 and 2012.
“The mood at the detachment is very sombre especially among the people who worked with him every day,” said Gord Molendyk, RCMP spokesperson.
Because of his career experience, Imrie was someone detachment staff turned to for advice.
“He was very knowledgeable,” said Molendyk.
According to the City of Vernon, Imrie’s wife and two daughters, who are both RCMP employees, are receiving support from family and friends.
At about 12:14 p.m. Tuesday, Imrie was driving his Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on the Oro Quincy Road Highway, near Quincy, Calif.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Imrie was attempting to negotiate a right to left curve when he went on to the gravel shoulder and into a ditch. From there, he ultimately went into a culvert drainage and collided with a rock embankment.
Imrie was thrown from the motorcycle and the vehicle fell on top of him.
“Some passing citizens and his friends stopped and lifted the Kawasaki off Imrie,” states a release from the California Highway Patrol.
“His friends immediately started CPR on Imrie due to his lack of pulse. Shortly after, a Forest Service fire truck with firefighters stopped and assisted with CPR. After several minutes of CPR, Imrie was unable to be revived and succumbed to his injuries.”
Police believe speed may have been a factor in the accident.
