A fun night at the lake for a Vernon family and others Monday was shattered by some unruly dirtbike enthusiasts.
Rick August, newly arrived in Vernon two months ago from Vancouver Island, took his four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son to Kin Beach on Okanagan Lake.
As they were getting ready to leave from their spot on the beach in front of the intersection of Tronson Road and Lakeshore Road, at about 6:30 p.m., August heard the loud sound of motor bikes coming from the west.
“Three bikes went down Kin Beach roaring in at approximately 70 km/hour from beyond the playground,” said August.
“At the east end of the beach, they made a 180 degree turn. The green and yellow bikes went up onto the roadway, whereas the blue bike came back down the beach.
“At that point people threw items at the rider attempting to get him to stop. My children and a lot of others were on the beach.”
August said one of the bikes missed his daughter by inches.
“She was lying on a blanket on beach and the (bike’s) track went right along edge of the blanket where she was,” said August.
“I’m still incredulous that no one was injured, or worse.”
August called police but left before officers arrived as his kids were “cold and scared.”
Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk confirmed Tuesday that an officer investigated and spoke to several people who complained about the bikes at the beach.
However, the dirtbikers and bikes could not be located.
They were last seen heading on Bella Vista Road.
It’s believed none of the bikes were insured.
“It’s a scary incident, absolutely,” said Molendyk.
“It’s not a place where individuals enjoying the beach late in the afternoon and motorcycles should be in close contact with each other.”
The three bikes are described as a blue YZF 250; a green Kawasaki KXF; and a yellow Suzuki 250RM with the rider wearing white and blue shift gear.
All the bikes appear to be newer than 2007.
Anybody with any information on this incident is asked to call the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
