Peachfest a success in eyes of the law

PENTICTON – It was a relatively quiet Peach Festival week in the city, at least from an RCMP point of view.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says the week was 'fantastic, overall.'

“Other than the first evening, the weather cooperated for the rest of the week, there was a good family atmosphere in the city and our file count is down from previous years,” Wrigglesworth says.

Two incidents in Gyro Park marred festivities this year. The first occurred on Friday evening, Aug. 7, when three males assaulted a female in Gyro Park, bear spraying her, then stealing her purse. One male was arrested and released to his grandmother later in the evening. The woman’s purse was located, but $100 was missing.

On Saturday evening, Aug. 8, a brawl broke out in Gyro Park. Several people suffered multiple injuries resulting from the altercation, which involved assailants swinging metal chains with locks attached to the end. It is not known how many participants were involved but three were arrested, they were all impaired. Several of those who were wielding the chains were taken to hospital and one individual if facing charges for cocaine possession. All involved were local individuals, mostly males in their late-teens and early-20s.

Wrigglesworth says jail cells were kept full on the weekend as well, with 12 persons occupying cells on Friday and 16 on Saturday, all for drunk and disorderly conduct.

Wrigglesworth notes the two incidents in Gyro Park occurred outside of the Peachfest venue in Okanagan Lake Park, at a time when most families had left the waterfront area. He attributes the unruly events to crowds of local kids who head downtown during big events like Peachfest to see what’s happening.

“In my experience, during events like these, people drink alcohol, which tends to lower good decision making and increase the idea of 'living on the edge’” he says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.