Over this past September long weekend, Columbia Valley RCMP responded to 79 calls for service. Noteworthy incidents include…

On August 31 at 1:41 a.m., a 911 call was received from a local pub in Invermere because of a bar fight. An unknown caller advised that seven subjects of complaint were fighting with one individual. Columbia Valley RCMP members attended and learned that a local male was punched in the left eye by an known individual. This male stated that it was only a bar fight and that police were not needed. He advised that he did not wish to pursue charges of assault and refused to provide information to what had transpired. An unknown witness stated that this male and an unknown individual were “trash” talking each other when the male was punched once in the face. He was checked out by BC Ambulance Service for a cut above his left eye. The person who punched the local male was gone on arrival.

Shortly afterwards, at 2:46 a.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received a report of a fight in progress on 8th Avenue in Invermere. Police attended and found it was over upon arrival. Police  were told by the complainant that it ended up being the same local male punched out earlier who had came and found the guy he got into an altercation with earlier that night. The local male wanted to go another round and ended up losing 1-on-1. The males then ended up walking the loser home. RCMP were unable to determine who the other males were and it was clearly a consensual fight. Alcohol was clearly a factor in our local males’ judgement.

An employee  called from the Greyhound Bus Depot in Windermere regarding a suspicious package that smelt like marijuana. They had already contacted the recipient and left a message to pick it up. Police attended and learned that the employee had already opened the package — a small baggie of suspected marijuana inside a small box wrapped in shopping bags and tinfoil. The sender and recipient were added to the ban list of Greyhound. The drugs were seized as evidence while the investigation continues.

Police were conducting a bar watch at a local pub in Invermere. Two males were observed fighting on the street outside the bar. A local male was observed feeding punches to another local male. The aggressor was arrested and taken away from the fight. It was determined that the consensual fight was over hard feelings that have been brewing for a couple of weeks whereas a friend of the aggressor, who was not present, was beaten up. Though intoxicated, all parties were sent on their way as there was no real victim or assaulter.

On September 3 at 1:40 a.m., police spoke to a local male in front of a local liquor establishment in Invermere. The male was heavily intoxicated, could not walk straight, was yelling and screaming, could not focus on a conversation, had unpredictable behaviours and reeked of alcohol. He had the opportunity to walk home so he left. But, near the intersection of 13th Street and 8th Avenue, he started to scream at pedestrians. Police attended and arrested the male for causing a disturbance and being intoxicated in a public place. The male was verbally aggressive but physically co-operative. He was lodged in the drunk tank until sober. Upon his release he was issued a violation ticket for being intoxicated in a public place, which carries a $115 fine.

Police were standing outside of a local liquor establishment at bar close. Police watched as a male started yelling at an unknown male for no reason, calling him names. Police approached this male and asked why he was trying to cause problems. He replied by explaining to police the laws in Canada. After the male educated police, he was advised to start walking home. He then spoke about his rights to police. Observing that everyone in front of the bar was looking at him while he was yelling and causing a disturbance, police believed that the male would try to start a fight so he was placed under arrest. The male pulled away from police which resulted in a minor scuffle with police. He was placed in cells until sober. He was released in the morning when sober with a violation ticket for intoxicated in a public place.