Date of Offence 11-Aug-2013
Charge under Criminal Code of Canada
CCC – 81(1)(c) placing / throwing explosive to damage property
81. (1) Every one commits an offence who (c) with intent to destroy or damage property without lawful excuse, places or throws an explosive substance anywhere
Update: Both suspects are in custody in Penticton RCMP cells and will make Their first court appearance on Monday.
Charges have now been laid against two brothers believed responsible for an Oliver bombing incident in the summer.
Two brothers from Oliver are in custody and facing charges in connection with the incident.
One of the pair was also charged in connection with an incident which occurred shortly after the bombing, where a can of bear spray was discharged in the residence associated to the bombed car.
Investigators with the Oliver RCMP and Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen General Investigation Section arrested Stephan Daoust and his 23 year old brother Eric without incident on Thursday after a two month long investigation.
The Oliver RCMP investigated the bombing incident after it went unreported for a day and as it was believed to have been a lightning strike. Police became involved the following day when a resident came to the local RCMP office with a piece of metal shrapnel believed to be connected with damage to a homeowners’ garage and a vehicle parked nearby.
RCMP officers attended and examined the scene and determined that an improvised (homemade) explosive device had been placed and detonated under a vehicle parked in the residential alleyway between Okanagan Street and Earle Crescent in Oliver. No one was injured in the blast however close examination of the vehicle and a nearby homeowner’s garage uncovered damage by the blast and flying shrapnel. The metal fragment (18 cm x 5 cm x .5 cm) had been found in the complainant’s garage after it was projected at a sufficient velocity to go through the outside wall, splinter through a 2 x 4 and end up inside the garage. Prior to the damage being discovered police connected other reports of an explosion being heard in Oliver at around 2:00 AM on the 11th of August.
Stephan Daoust was charged with assault with a weapon, break and enter and possessing a weapon for a second incident where it was alleged that he broke into the home on September 8th and discharged a can of bear spray.
Daoust, 19, last appeared in court October 25 with the court diverting him into CWI Alternative Measures with tasks to be completed. He was out on his own recognisance and scheduled to appear again November 6th in Penticton Law Courts.
“Our findings into the I.E.D. incident and pepper spray assault indicate that the violence was targeted towards the young man who resided in the home where the car was damaged. All three knew each other and are long time residents. It appears that the matter stemmed from a mutual longstanding dislike for each other. No one was seriously injured as a result.” says RCMP Cpl Dan Moskaluk – Regional Media Relations Officer.