Osoyoos RCMP were kept busy on July 1st with numerous intoxicated persons. Police also seized several small quantities of marihuana after people were found to be using it in the open in public. In total 10 persons were arrested and spent the night in jail. This included arrests for the following:
9 for being intoxicated in a public place.
1 for domestic assault.
Of the nine arrests for public intoxication one male was also charged with obstruction and issued an Expulsion letter for causing a disturbance and obstructing police during the course of their duties. The expulsion letter bans the person from entering any town beaches or facilities until the end of September. One male was arrested for public intoxication after he was found intoxicated and lighting personal fireworks off at Gyro Beach prior to the town fireworks display.

On July 2, 2014 the Osoyoos RCMP responded to a theft at the BC Liquor store. 36 year old Jennifer SANTOS of Penticton has been charged with theft under $5000 and is remanded in custody. Her next appearance in court is July 9 in Penticton. While investigating the theft, members apprehended a second person who was waiting outside for SANTOS. That person, a 34 year old male of Penticton was found to be in possession of a pick up truck which was stolen out of Kelowna. Several items inside the vehicle had been stolen from Osoyoos Home Hardware and the Osoyoos Home Building Centre. The male has been released and is pending charges of possession of the stolen truck. Further charges are being sought for the items found in the truck.

On July 2, 2014 at 5:00pm the Osoyoos RCMP responded to collision of two tractor trailer units on Highway 3 near Spotted Lake. A loaded lumber truck was travelling west bound at a slow rate of speed as it was climbing a long hill. An unloaded truck, also west bound, was attempting to pass near the end of the passing lane when it struck the rear driver’s side of the loaded lumber trailer. The diesel tank of the unloaded truck was ripped open resulting in an immediate and large fire which spread to both trucks as well as the surrounding hills. The driver of the unloaded truck suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital in Kelowna by air ambulance. The other driver suffered minor bruising.

The Osoyoos RCMP commend the Osoyoos Fire Department on their quick response, a home owner in the area that brought his excavator and assisted the fire department in moving the burning trucks and lumber apart so they could be extinguished and Forestry who attended including ground crews and aerial crews to fight the fire spreading in the hills. Without the quick collaboration of all of these partners the spreading fire could have become much worse.

Over the last week two vehicles have been stolen from the Osoyoos area. In both these incidents the keys were left in the vehicle making it very easy for the suspect/s to obtain and depart in the vehicle.

If anyone has information on crimes please call the Osoyoos RCMP at (250) 495-7236 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.