Charges laid in collisions that killed five bighorn sheep in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Two drivers are facing multiple charges after killing five bighorn sheep in two separate collisions on Highway 3 west of Keremeos in October.

The collisions occurred on Oct. 1, 2015, around 4 p.m. when an eastbound Ford F250 pickup driven by a 56-year-old man and a Dodge Ram pickup driven by a 75-year-old man failed to stop for a herd of sheep crossing Highway 3 near Standing Rock, located approximately three kilometres west of Keremeos, South Okanagan Traffic Services Unit Commander Sgt. Harold Hallett said today, Wednesday, Dec. 16.

The crossing took place on a four lane section of the highway where the speed limit is 100 kilometres per hour.

Five sheep were killed and two injured. Some of the sheep were thrown into the westbound lanes. Neither vehicle stopped at the scene.

Both vehicles were located through a joint investigation by South Okanagan Traffic Services and the B.C. Conservation Office. Both vehicles were found in Keremeos, one at a residence and the other at a repair shop.

The two drivers have since been charged with failing to report an accidental killing of wildlife on a highway, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, and driving without consideration of others.

One of the drivers resides in Keremeos, the other on Vancouver Island.

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