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Crime
RCMP cruiser rammed by suspects in stolen pick-up
VERNON – A pair of Albertans are in court Thursday to answer to a variety of charges in connection with an RCMP chase, which ended with a stolen truck ramming a police cruiser. It started at 11:50 a.m. when the Loss Prevention Officer at Buy Low Foods in Vernon reported he was following shoplifters in...
Victim testifies to sexual assault in dangerous offender hearing
PENTICTON — A sexual assault victim continued to give her testimony today during the dangerous offender hearing for David Bobbitt who raped her nearly eight years ago. The victim appeared in Penticton Supreme Court via closed circuit TV and gave evidence of an incident that took place in 2007. There is no relation between this...
Two teens suspected of involvement with stolen vehicle, trunk full of guns
KAMLOOPS - The lead investigators of a case involving an erratic driver, several guns, a stolen vehicle and three men running from police have released the identity of one of the suspects in custody. Around 2 p.m. on June 20, police received reports of a white 1998 Dodge Stratus with Alberta plates driving erratically near...
Thieves targeted non-profit 11 times in a month
KAMLOOPS – “Frustrating” and “disheartening” are two words Jan Lingford uses to describe thieves targeting the disadvantaged. The executive director of the Kamloops Habitat for Humanity non-profit says thieves stole from the branch’s supply storage facility 11 times last month. Copper, aluminum, and steel – metals the organization uses to build houses for those who...
Lumby murder victim touched many lives through teaching
VERNON - A North Okanagan teacher allegedly murdered by her boyfriend will be remembered for her contagious smile, kindness and compassion. Linda Ross, a teacher in school district 22’s Alternate Learning Program, was found dead at the Trinity Valley Road home she shared with her partner, Howard Everett, who now faces a second degree murder...
RCMP say sex offender lied in police statement
PENTICTON — The RCMP officer who interrogated David Wesley Bobbitt after his arrest in 2007 said Bobbitt’s story was full of holes and accused him of not telling the truth in his statement. The video statement was played in Penticton Supreme Court today as part of Const. Mike Desmond’s testimony. He was the officer who...
Victim’s mother called to witness stand in dangerous offender hearing
PENTICTON - The mother of a sexual assault victim gave a brief testimony today saying her daughter would “shut down” if she was forced to testify in a room with the accused, David Wesley Bobbitt. Bobbitt’s dangerous offender hearing began this morning in Penticton Supreme Court with the offender appearing in person. Bobbitt pleaded guilty...
Charges dropped for murderer Keith Wiens
PENTICTON - Crown Counsel dropped charges last week against an ex-RCMP officer who was found guilty of murdering his common-law wife in 2011. Keith G. Wiens, who is facing a life sentence in federal prison, was charged with breaching his restrictions. Crown prosecutor John Swanson, who was assigned the case, said he was not told...
RCMP bike patrol resuming next week
KAMLOOPS – While the Kamloops RCMP bike patrol is set to officially start next week, officers were spotted breaking in their bikes at Riverside Park on Thursday afternoon. The bike patrol is planned for the summer months. Members along with auxiliary volunteers will monitor parks, the downtown core and areas of the North Shore. “It...
The smell of pot is enough evidence for arrest
KAMLOOPS – A provincial court judge decided police did not need to request a marijuana permit before arresting a man hiding 73 marijuana plants in the back of his van. Corey Joseph Eld, born 1977, and his lawyer John Conroy argued Eld’s arrest was illegal because police arrested him without asking him if he held...
B.C. Coroners Service releases name of youth who died at Royal Inland Hospital parkade
KAMLOOPS – The B.C. Coroners Service has released the name of the young man who jumped off the parkade at the Royal Inland Hospital and later died of his injuries, Sunday. He was Jacob George Setah, 18, of Hanceville — a hamlet near Williams Lake. Hospital staff members called RCMP members as there was a...
Never leave a pet inside a hot car: SPCA
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The weather is getting hot, and drivers are rolling down their windows, feeling the breeze in their hair as they drive along. But don’t forget, your pets also need to feel the wind in their fur, or at least a cool breeze. Every year, pets are killed from the heat in hot cars. The...
Charges recommended against BB gun owner
KAMLOOPS – After responding to a complaint of a man waving around a gun, police are recommending charges against three men arrested Monday afternoon at an Upper Sahali residence. The resident, a 46-year-old man, was arrested after RCMP received a report of a drunk man with a handgun. The gun looked like a 9mm but...
Police respond to drunk man yelling, swearing, possibly holding gun
KAMLOOPS – Mounties took four people into custody Monday afternoon after responding to a report of an intoxicated man yelling and screaming in his backyard while holding what looked like a 9mm handgun. RCMP members went to the residence located in Upper Sahali at about 2:30 p.m. and recovered the weapon which was determined to...
Arrest made in liquor store robbery
PENTICTON - A suspect arrested following a robbery at an Oliver liquor store last week is now facing potential criminal charges. The 41-year-old Summerland man was arrested Thursday June 13. He faces potential charges of robbery and disguise with intent. Video surveillance provided by Spud’s Liquor Store show the robber wearing a mask, disguising his...
Police investigate stabbing in North Shore home
KAMLOOPS – A man remains in hospital after a stabbing that happened last night on the North Shore. A fight between two men broke out at a house on Elm Avenue at about 10 p.m. One man received numerous stab wounds. The second man was injured during the struggle. Two other people in the residence...
Dangerous offender hearing to start next week
PENTICTON - A dangerous offender hearing and sentencing for sex offender David Wesley Bobbitt will begin next Monday, June 23 in Penticton Supreme Court. Bobbitt pleaded guilty last April to several charges including sexual assault, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and confinement from an incident in 2012. Sentencing through the dangerous offender hearing, which...
Missing pet searchers dogged by Kamloops scam artist
KAMLOOPS – People in search of their missing pets should be cautious of a male caller saying he found the pet and would like a reward; he may be part of the latest scam. Members of Kamloops RCMP discovered the scam after hearing complaints from pet owners phoned by a man who says he found...
Ex-city councillor, sex offender sentencing delayed
PENTICTON — A sentencing date for an ex-city councillor who pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges, will be set on Monday. Gary A. Leaman, who served on Penticton City Council for three years and ran for mayor in 2008, will face sentencing for the two counts of sexual assault he plead guilty to in January....
Snelson pays $75K bail, moves to Lake Country
KAMLOOPS — A Kelowna man awaiting a retrial for the manslaughter of a Kelowna college student is now walking free on bail. Last week, Neil George Snelson, 47, was granted bail and Infotel News has learned, he provided the $75,000 and was released to a home in Lake Country to await trial. He will walk...
Trial begins for resort owner suspected of drug dealing
KAMLOOPS - Today was the first day of a jury trial in Kamloops Supreme Court for a resort owner suspected of dealing drugs out of his home near Cache Creek. Gerald Burgess, 64, owner of Loon Lake Resort was charged with nine counts of possessing prescription medication and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, along...
Dangerous offender hearing postponed due to judge’s illness
PENTICTON - The dangerous offender hearing for an imprisoned Penticton man has been postponed to an unknown date. Justice Geoff Barrow fell ill unexpectedly and is unable to oversee the Supreme Court trial, said Crown Counsel. David Wesley Bobbitt is in custody at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre after pleading guilty last year to charges of...
Charges laid in bomb scare
PENTICTON - RCMP are laying criminal charges against a Penticton man who was creating bombs at his home. Staff Sgt. Kurt Lozinski could not disclose the name of the suspect, a 30-year-old man, who has been released from custody on conditions. The man does not have a criminal history, however the Vancouver-based RCMP bomb squad...
Murderer scheduled to make official complaint against Crown
PENTICTON — An ex-RCMP officer and convicted murderer wants a Crown prosecutor removed from his case. Appearing in Penticton Provincial court Tuesday, Keith G. Wiens said he will be filing an application to have prosecutor John Swanson removed from the case, citing a conflict of interest.' Swanson didn't prosecute the murder trial; he's prosecuting Wiens...