Shuswap house sitter charged after hitting homeowner with vehicle

A Shuswap-area homeowner was in for surprise when he returned to find his house sitter damaged the property, then hit him with a vehicle.

Salmon Arm RCMP said the victim was out of the country for two months and had people stay at his home during that time.

He found “a lot of damage” upon arrival to his Eagle Bay Road home, April 5, then the house sitters came back unannounced, according to a Salmon Arm RCMP news release.

From inside a vehicle, the house sitter yelled at the homeowner as he stood three metres away.

He told RCMP the house sitter then “gunned it” and drove the vehicle into him.

The homeowner bounced off the vehicle and landed on his head as the vehicle drove off.

He was taken to hospital and health care staff reported the hit-and-run to police.

His injuries were not life-threatening, according to police.

Police found the driver two days later.

Clinton Wells, 47, is charged with assault, uttering threats, dangerous operation of a vehicle and failure to stop after a collision.

Wells was denied bail and will appear in court again, April 30.