It Was A Very Busy New Year’s for RCMP

Northern Rockies RCMP had a rather subdued uneventful few days over the Christmas season. However, the period over the New Year was slightly more eventful with police responding to 115 calls for service between December 28th and January 7th. Alcohol-fueled domestic violence kept police occupied over the last few days of 2012 and carrying on into 2013.
Domestic violence was not the only concern for police over the new year. Several residents chose to end 2012 and or ring in 2013 by drinking and driving. These people lost their vehicles as well as their driving privileges for a while.
On December 28th around 1:35 p.m. police were called to a residence on Kantah Road after a woman called police requesting immediate assistance stating she had been assaulted by her boyfriend. Police attended and were flagged down by a female standing on the street. Police were informed by the 43-year-old Fort Nelson woman that her boyfriend was intoxicated and had pulled her hair, slapped her, and hit her in the head with a closed fist several times. In the end, he had thrown her out of the house without a coat. Police are continuing to investigate this incident and have requested a warrant for the arrest of a 55-year-old Fort Nelson man.
Funny Money
Also on December 28th police received a counterfeit Canadian $20 bill from the CIBC who had received the bill in the daily deposit from a local business. The counterfeit $20 bill, upon inspection, was a relatively poor reproduction of a genuine $20 bill.
Police would like to remind community residents and business owners to ensure that when they receive currency that they have a quick look at it. If anything about the currency appears unusual, keep it and call the police to attend and examine the bill. With the introduction of Canada’s new polymer currency notes it is hoped the incidence of counterfeiting will be drastically reduced.
Polymer notes are more secure, with leading edge security features that are easy to check and difficult to counterfeit.

Those businesses that are interested may pick up Bank of Canada New Polymer Note Information and Security Information packages at the Northern Rockies RCMP Detachment.
Yes, definitely suspended
Later Friday evening around 10:00 p.m. police observed a Silver 2003 Chevrolet Silverado traveling northbound along 42nd Avenue slightly in excess of the posted 50 km per hour speed limit. When police activated their emergency lights summoning the driver to stop the driver ignored the signal to stop and kept driving to a residence in the 5500 block of Pine Crescent where the vehicle stopped. When police asked the driver why he had not stopped for police the driver told the policeman: “1 think my driver’s licence is suspended”.
After conducting the usual computer checks police confirmed the 42-year -old Fort Nelson man’s driver licence was indeed currently suspended after he received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition on September 30th, 2012. As a result of this latest infraction police impounded the man’s vehicle for 7 days issuing him with an Appearance Notice for court on February 25th, 2013 to answer a charge of driving while suspended.
Hit her on the head and then tried to choke her
Domestic Violence, for the second time in two days police were called to investigate another incidence of domestic violence. During the early morning hours of December 29th at around 6:00 a.m. police received a report from a 24-year-old Fort Nelson man reporting his mother had been beaten up by her boyfriend at the Hideaway Inn. Police attended to the Hideaway Inn where they located the 49-year-old female victim who told police her 40-year- old boyfriend from Chetwynd had fled prior to the arrival of police.
The woman told police this is not the first time her boyfriend had assaulted her and in this latest incident her boyfriend had hit her in the side of the head, knocked her to ground and choked her. Police are currently investigating this assault an have sought a warrant for the arrest of the man.
He kicked her in the ribs then left for Alberta
Police are investigating another unfortunate incidence of domestic violence when on January 3rd, 2013 at 10:53 a.m. police received a report from a 23-year-old Fort Nelson woman stating her husband had assaulted her a few days earlier kicking her several times in the ribs, cracking a rib. Police were advised by the woman her husband had since left the community for his work in Alberta. Police are currently investigating this domestic assault and were advised by the man’s lawyer his client will attend the police office when he returns from Alberta to address this alleged assault complaint made by his spouse.
She bruised him and threatened him with a knife to his throat
On January 6th at 1:30 p.m. police received another report of domestic violence, this time down the highway in Prophet River. Police received a report from a 63-year -old male resident of the community that on December 29th his wife attacked him bruising his arm however he did not report this incident to police.
However that was until today when around 7:00 a.m. his common in law spouse assaulted him again this time wielding a knife which she held to his throat. The 63-year -old man told police his wife prevented him from leaving the house for almost two days at which time he was able to escape and flee to Fort Nelson where he got a hotel room and called police to report the assaults.
Police attended to Prophet River in search of the 44- year -old female accused with the intention of arresting her for these alleged assaults on her spouse. By the time police arrived in the community the woman had fled the residence, obviously aware the police were looking for her. Police returned to Prophet River on January 7th locating and arresting the accused at her residence.

Last but not least
The last impaired driver of 2012 met up with police at 11:33 p.m. New Year’s Eve along 44th Street after getting his vehicle stuck in the snow on the side of the road. Police pulled up near the Gray 2004 Kia Rio to ascertain if the driver required some assistance?
When the driver turned and saw the police he immediately jumped out of the drivers door and quickly walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle. While speaking with the driver police noted the 54-year-old Fort Nelson man appeared quite intoxicated which would explain his predicament. It would appear the man backed out of a driveway on the opposite side of the road running right across the road into the opposite ditch becoming stuck. After advising police he had recently been drinking and in fact had just finished his last drink police advised him he was being detained for impaired driving. After impounding the man’s vehicle police transported him to the police office where he provided two breath samples of 170 mgs and 160 mgs.
As a result police issued the man with a 90 day Administrative Driving Prohibition and Recognizance to appear in court on February 25th, 2013 to answer impaired driving charges.
First of the year
Less than 2 hours later police were dealing with the first impaired driver of 2013. At 1:20 a.m. police observed a White 2011 Dodge pickup truck sail through the stop at 51 st Street West and Liard Street. Police immediately stopped the truck and had a few words with the 35 year old Dawson Creek man operating the vehicle. While speaking with the driver police noted the driver appeared rather intoxicated with the familiar odor of liquor on his breath. The driver advised police he had recently consumed 3 drinks with the last drink going down at 1:00 a.m. Police using an Approved Roadside Screening Device obtained a roadside breath sample resulting in warning indication. As a result police issued the driver with a 3 day Immediate Roadside Prohibition from driving as well as a traffic ticket for disobeying a stop sign. Police did not impound the vehicle, instead contacted company representative to come and pick up the vehicle from where it was safely parked.

And then there were two
Forty one minutes later police were busy rounding up their second impaired driver of 2013. At 2:28 a.m. police stopped a White 1995 Cadillac Deville in front of the Recreation Center. When police walked up the open drivers side window the first thing to catch their attention was the rather strong odor of liquor coming from within the vehicle as well as on the drivers breath. The second thing to catch police attention was the driver’s admission to consuming a lot of alcohol over the duration of the night. As result of these observations and admissions police used an Approved Roadside Screening Device to obtain a breath sample from the driver which resulted in a failure indication. Police impounded the Cadillac for 30 days and issued the 30 year old Fort Nelson man operating the vehicle with a 90 day Immediate Roadside Prohibition from driving.
Just a few minutes later while looking for another reported impaired driver police observed a Black GMC Pickup truck traveling well in excess of the posted speed limit of 80 kms northbound along the Old Alaska Highway past Pebble Drive. Police began following the vehicle with the intention of stopping it and chatting with the driver. However the driver apparently had other plans and stopping and chatting with police was not one of them. When police turned on their emergency lights on Radar Road the driver accelerated breaking traction sliding sideways for a short distance before regaining control of the vehicle and disappearing from sight. From this action it was quite apparent the driver had no intention of stopping thus police turned off their emergency lights stopping at the Golf Course Road turnoff to determine if the driver had turned in their in an effort to disappear. When this was determined not to be the case police carried on down Radar Road for approximately 3 kms where they found the Black 2009 GMC Sierra pickup truck spun out in the ditch buried in deep snow with the driver long gone having climbed out the drivers door fleeing on foot. Police are continuing to investigate this incident having identified and spoken to the 27 year old man driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Third time unlucky for 2013
A few minutes later police were dealing with another impaired driver on the Old Alaska Highway at the intersection with Radar Road. Police stopped the Black 2009 Ford F 250 and while speaking with the 27 year old Fort Nelson woman driving noted the distinct odor of liquor on her breath. When asked about this the 27 year old woman advised police she had been drinking much earlier in the evening finishing between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Police using an Approved Roadside Screening Device obtained a breath sample from the driver which resulted in a failure indication. Police also located a two part full bottles of liquor and two sealed cans of beer inside the vehicle. Police subsequently issued the driver with an 90 day Immediate Roadside Driving Prohibition impounding the vehicle for 30 days.
Birthday Girl
Thursday morning January 06th at 1:50 a.m. police found themselves dealing with another impaired driver. When police observed the Black 2011 GMC Sierra pickup with the woman in the pink shirt hanging out the passenger window screaming they thought they better investigate. Police turned on their emergency lights and summoned the driver to pull the vehicle to the side of the road and stop.
The female driver complied stopping in front of the Fort Nelson Hotel and as police watched quickly jumped from the front seat into the back seat and out the rear door of the truck making a hasty beeline directly for the door of the bar.
However police spoiled this effort intercepting the Prophet River woman who was celebrating her 35th birthday before she could enter the bar. It was abundantly clear to police after a few short words with the birthday girl she had already started celebrating her 35th year birthday. As is usual police conducted the required computer checks which revealed the woman’s driving privileges were currently suspended. Police obtained two roadside breath samples from the driver, both of which resulted in failure indications. As a result of these indiscretions police issued the woman with a 90 day Immediate Roadside Prohibition from driving impounding her vehicle for 30 days.
He had good friends
Just few hours later at 4:39 a.m. police received a report of a person wearing dark clothing standing in the middle of Hwy #97 in front of the Woodlands Inn throwing things at passing vehicles. Police quickly attended to this location where they located the very intoxicated man right where he was reported to be, standing dead center in the middle of the highway. Police advised the 26-year-old Fort St. John man he was under arrest for public intoxication. Police asked the intoxicated man if he had a place to stay? The 26 year old man advised police he could probably stay with one of his relatives on Gairdner Crescent. Police delivered the wayward soul to the address he provided confirming with the owner of the residence they would take man off their hands and look after him.
Out of gas
Finally, even the police occasionally have one of those day’s they would rather not talk about. Running out of gas in a fully marked police truck is one of those really embarassing situations police prefer not to dwell on. It is especially aggravating when you’re within eyesight of the gas pumps desperately trying to burn up the last few remaining gas fumes in the tank while quietly praying between engine sputters that you will make it those last few hundred meters to the gas pumps so you do not have to call for assistance.
The only thing that might be equally embarassing at roadside is having to tell the person you pulled over for a minor traffic infraction is you lost their driver’s license after dropping it between the driver’s seat and console in the police vehicle and can’t find it now.
Police told the motorist under the circumstances they would overlook the traffic infraction and would return their driver’s licence later, once they returned to the police office and found it.
Staff Sergant Tom Roy
Officer-in-Charge
Northern Rockies Detachment.