Alcohol and summer activities turn up the heat on RCMP calls
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Salt Spring’s RCMP were kept busy over the past week, mostly ensuring Canada Day celebrations did not get out of hand, while also dealing with alcohol and drug consumption around town, boating issues and driving violations.
Canada Day saw RCMP foot patrols forced to dump out revellers’ libations as both youth and adults alike got into the swing of the holiday celebrations.
Police also dealt with a young pipe-smoking couple who were illegally using marijuana in Ganges.
The officers destroyed the substance and contacted the youths’ parents.
A male caught consuming alcohol in Centennial Park, in violation of earlier conditions he had been placed on, attempted to flee the scene and was subsequently pursued and detained by police.
After searching the man’s pocket, RCMP arrested him for possession of marijuana.
Also on Canada Day, RCMP were made aware of a boat adrift in Ganges Harbour.
Police located the empty boat, which was in danger of damaging several other vessels in the area.
The Coast Guard were called in and eventually towed the vessel into the harbour.
There was more trouble on the water on July 2 when police received a report of a sailboat stolen from the Centennial dock.
The boat’s owner, along with police, located the vessel tied to the government dock in Fulford Harbour.
Police seized various items for fingerprinting and discovered several items had been stolen, including a stereo and speakers, tools and tackle.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Salt Spring RCMP.
Also on July 2, a group of males was caught consuming alcohol near Centennial Park and were issued violation tickets for drinking in a public place.
While patrolling Fulford-Ganges Road near Lee Road on July 5, RCMP witnessed an SUV weaving on the road.
The female driver was stopped and failed a roadside screening device, leading to her arrest for impaired driving.
Later at the police station the 56-year-old woman refused to provide a breath sample leading to an addition charge for the refusal.
After receiving three simultaneous complaints of an erratic driver in the parking lot near Country Grocer on July 6, police attended the scene and located a 60-year-old woman behind the wheel of the running vehicle.
The driver had rammed into shopping carts and driven at high rates of speed through the parking lot, although she had no memory of hitting anything.
The woman, whose uninsured car showed some damage, had earlier been admitted to Lady Minto Hospital and was on medication.
She was escorted back to the hospital while her car was towed from the scene.
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