Kamloops bylaw officer fined after hitting pedestrian

A Kamloops bylaw officer was fined $1,500 after colliding with a pedestrian in a City vehicle last year.

Nicholas Sarai was driving a City vehicle in Valleyview in March 2022 when he veered across the road and onto the sidewalk, striking Kimberley Smylski from behind.

She described her ongoing pain last year after iNFOnews.ca learned about the incident through a Freedom of Information request.

"My lifestyle has changed," she said at the time. "After about two months, it got to a point where it wasn't getting better."

Smylski's knee pain continues and she's still getting healthcare. Last September, she believed Sarai paid his ticket and moved on, but it continued through traffic court until he was fined last month.

He was initially ticketed for driving without due care and attention, but pleaded guilty to failing to keep right. Although it was deemed the lesser charge, he still faces a steep fine for the collision.

Smylski was hit while she was walking her dogs, injuring her knee and shoulder. Sarai's City-owned Kia Niro not only hit Smylski, but also knocked over a street sign in the process.

Sarai, a community service officer (formerly bylaw), appeared in court on Aug. 23, where he was given the $1,500 fine and has a month to pay.

Neither Sarai nor Community Services management immediately responded to a request for comment.

It's not clear whether he was reprimanded by his employer after the incident.

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