The Trail and Greater District RCMP weekly media report contains details on a theft investigation sparked as a result of routine traffic stop and a criminal investigation into impaired driving, as well as a number of motor vehicle collisions due to internal distractions. The brief also contains circumstances surrounding a pickup truck fire that was prevented from spreading to nearby structures.
Stolen cheques
– Nov. 29, a front line Trail RCMP officer was conducting routine patrols at 8 a.m. when he witnessed a female driver allegedly fail to stop at an East Trail stop sign located at the intersection of Second Avenue and McQuarrie Street.
During the course of the traffic stop, not only did the RCMP officer discover that the woman’s vehicle was uninsured, but he located cheques that were suspected to have been recently stolen.
The 28-year old Trail woman was fined $598 for driving without insurance. Police say the investigation into her involvement regarding the recovered stolen cheques is ongoing and could result in criminal charges being laid.
Impaired driver
– On Nov. 28, a Trail RCMP officer was conducting routine patrols at 10 p.m. when the officer spotted a Ford F-150 pickup being driven along Rossland Avenue without the taillights on.
The officer pulled the driver over and began an impaired driving investigation roadside. The 33-year-old Warfield woman failed to pass a roadside alcohol screening test administered by the officer. She was issued an immediate three-day driving prohibition.
The Trail RCMP will continue enhanced impaired driving enforcement throughout the 2020 holiday season.
Choking causes crash
– Nov. 27, a front line Greater Trail RCMP officer received a 5:20 p.m. report of a single motor vehicle incident on Victoria Street near Pine Avenue in downtown Trail. Police suspect the driver lost control of his pickup truck, and possibly lost consciousness while he was driving, after choking on a drink that he was consuming. The pickup crashed through a fence into an empty lot before coming to rest.
The driver, a 42-year-old Manitoba man, is reported to have been uninjured, however he was transported to the hospital for a medical assessment as a precautionary measure.
Casino vehicle fire
– Nov. 27, the Trail detachment received a report shortly after 7 p.m. of a pickup truck fire on Casino Road.
The registered owner, a man in his 20s, was visiting the home when he noticed that his parked 2014 Dodge truck was ablaze in the driveway.
He quickly pushed his flaming vehicle out of the driveway and onto the roadway to prevent it from catching nearby structures on fire. The truck was completely destroyed by the blaze. Police say the origin of the fire is not considered to be suspicious.
Distracted driving
– Nov. 27, the Trail detachment received a 7:20 p.m. report of a single motor vehicle accident on Schofield Highway near Wellington Avenue in Warfield. Front line officers found that the operator of a black Dodge Ram pickup veered into the highway meridian, and slid along the meridian for approximately 50 meters before coming to a full stop.
Investigators suspect that the Trail man, in his 20s, was reaching for his drink (not alcoholic) prior to the crash.
The driver reported to be uninjured, however his truck sustained substantial damage.
He was issued a $368 fine for allegedly driving without due care.
Christmas CounterAttack
ICBC and police are urging drivers to plan ahead and make smart decisions to get home safely this holiday season.
Although COVID-19 has changed many things, it hasn’t changed the law – if you plan to drink, don’t drive.
“We know celebrations will look different this holiday season,” said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC’s vice-president of public affairs and driver licensing. “If you’ve been drinking at home, please stay home and don’t drive. When you drink and drive, you not only risk your life but those of others on the road. We all need to do our part to prevent crashes and save lives. If you plan to drink, plan ahead.”
Impaired driving remains a leading cause of fatal car crashes, with an average of 67 lives lost every year in B.C.
More than half of impaired-related crashes – 56 per cent – occur on the weekend (Friday to Sunday).
For more than 40 years, ICBC has implemented impaired driving education campaigns and funded CounterAttack enhanced police enforcement.
