Canada Day

July 1st – a busy night for police in Osoyoos. With the Osoyoos Cherry Fiesta coinciding with Canada’s 150 Birthday, a much larger crowd than in previous years was in attendance for the day long festivities and fireworks. Throughout the night, Osoyoos RCMP attended to several incidents of persons causing a disturbance while intoxicated in public. Many of these individuals were arrested and held until they were sober to prevent them from causing further issues. Two fights broke out between groups of intoxicated persons, one of which police are still investigating and considering charges of assault against a 21 year old male resident of Osoyoos.

 

Police seized a jet ski after observing the driver operating at a dangerously high speed and without consideration for the numerous boats on the lake waiting to watch the fireworks. Traffic after the fireworks was extremely backed up. Anarchist Fire Department conducted traffic control to assist driver’s departing the downtown area however the sheer volume of vehicles resulted in long delays for those leaving Osoyoos. The congestion made it difficult for emergency vehicles to traverse through town and to calls of service.

 

Later in the evening, police responded to a single vehicle collision on the Highway 3 (Main Street) bridge. A 1999 Pontiac Grand Am went off road right while approaching the bridge and struck a lamp standard. The lamp standard sustained considerable damage and leaned precariously over the road forcing a lane closure until it could be secured. Two passengers were transported to hospital for non-life threatening injuries while the uninjured driver was issued an Immediate Roadside Prohibition for driving while intoxicated.