A Fraser Valley man was air-lifted to hospital in serious condition over the weekend after an ATV accident at Whispering Pines.

“He was operating an ATV and was involved in a serious crash and sustained serious head injuries,” said Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson.

The 32-year-old victim, who was participating in a Kamloops Off-Road Racing B.C. event at Whispering Pines at the time, has been identified as Chilliwack racer John Sommer.

He was treated at the scene first by St. John’s Ambulance staff and then B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics.

A witness at the race said the man’s handlebars appeared to brake before the accident, causing him to end up under the quad.

The witness also said the victim was unconscious following the accident and appeared to remain so as he was air-lifted to Royal Inland Hospital. Sommer is believed to have suffered a broken neck and was expected to undergo a CT scan Monday, but no update on his condition was available as of KTW press deadline.

* More bogus bills

Kamloops Mounties are again warning merchants to keep an eye out for counterfeit cash after another recent rash of bogus bills were passed at local businesses.

"We're seeing some $50 U.S. bills making their way through the Kamloops area," RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson said.

Police believe the bills — six or seven total, all with the serial number "IB44545976B" — were used at businesses in the Aberdeen and Hillside Drive areas.

Wilson said investigators don't believe they're dealing with a criminal mastermind.

"Looking at these bills, the actual quality of them is not that great," he said, speculating that they were made with an average-quality printer and scanner.

"A lot of it just boils down to slowing down and looking at the bills."

The RCMP will provide businesses with counterfeit identification kits free of charge.

Anyone with information — or merchants looking for tips on how to protect themselves — can call Kamloops Mounties at 250-828-3000.

* Cops ready for Canada Day

Police will be out in full force to make sure Canada Day celebrations go off without a hitch.

"We have actually quite a pool of resources that are scheduled to work," said Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson.

"You're going to see a high visibility of police on July 1, right up until the fireworks and onwards."

Wilson said Mounties will be making the rounds on foot, bike and boat, in addition to regular patrolson local streets.

"Last July 1, we had a lot of people in the park and a lot of people drinking in the park," he said, warning revellers to keep a lid on their booze while out in public.

"If you're going to be consuming [alcohol] in public, you run a very good chance that you're going to be charged."

Tickets for drinking in public start at $100.

* Are these your planes?

Police are hoping to track down the owner of a number of model airplanes that were recovered from two separate locations earlier this month.

Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson said Mounties received two reports of found model airplane parts on June 12 — one call from Lac Du Bois and the other from an area near Fulton Field.

The boxes contained model airplane frames, wheels and props.

"Because the boxes and parts have no identifying features, the owner has yet to be identified," Wilson said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 250-828-3000.