Arson at Oliver Place Mall
On February 6th, 2018 at 6:00 am a fire was reported in a dumpster behind the Oliver Place Mall. A male was observed putting items into the dumpster fire. This male was identified as Steve Godbout age 50 years old.
Steve Joseph Adilard Godbout was released from jail on Jan 28th, 2018 and placed on probation while residing in Oliver. Steve Godbout was located and arrested the same day behind the Oliver Place Mall later in the afternoon.
Several charges were forwarded and approved by Crown Counsel for appearance in court today. He will appear in court again February 21st.
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Provincial court records indicate charges of breach of probation, Assault on a Police Officer and Resisting arrest.
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July 27 2016 – Joe Fries, (then) Penticton Western
A man caught leaving an equipment building next to a downed Telus cell tower – but not actually charged with toppling it – was sentenced Wednesday to two years in jail.
Steven Joseph Adilard Godbout, 48, was convicted of break and enter and possession of stolen property under $5,000 following trial in provincial court in Penticton. He was given enhanced credit of 171 days’ time served.
Godbout’s was photographed at the Oliver-area tower site two days after the collapse, then arrested April 5. Officers found in his possession a USB drive and other small items taken from the equipment building, which housed electronics needed to run the tower.
The 45-metre tower atop Fairview Mountain near Oliver went down March 17 after someone released one of three high-tension guy wires that anchored the structure to the ground, leaving hundreds of Telus customers without service.
Judge Greg Koturbash emphasized Godbout – who had 29 prior convictions for break and enter – wasn’t deemed responsible for the tower collapse, but still put people in danger by mangling the door to the building such that it couldn’t be opened for several hours.
Replacing Cell Tower cost $500 thousand – photo by Joel Desjardins