BY LORNE ECKERSLEY
Advance staff
The pilot of a small airplane walked away safely on Monday afternoon after making an emergency landing on Highway 3 west of Creston.
“He (the pilot) said he was extremely lucky,” Corp. Gerry Sliworsky said on Tuesday. “He developed oil pressure problems on his way back to the Creston airport from Duncan and circled above the highway before landing. He said traffic was busy but a gap opened up and he was able to land without incident.”
The name of the pilot was not made public.
In other RCMP news, Creston RCMP responded to 82 calls for service from July 4-10, Sliworsky said.
July 4
• A 25th Avenue South resident complained about being harassed by a debt collector.
• An RV driver backed into another vehicle at an intersection on Canyon Street and drove off. He said he was unaware he had hit a vehicle when police located him.
• A vehicle was hit on the driver’s side by another vehicle when the driver attempted a left hand turn on 24th Street at Canyon-Lister Road.
• A report of a Nissan Sentra being in the control of a possibly impaired driver was referred to Cranbrook RCMP as the vehicle was headed in that direction on Highway 3.
• When police checked a report of an unusually strong odor emanating from a Canyon Street garbage bin the found a rotting turkey carcass in a bag.
• A patrolling police officer noted a vehicle doing a U-turn on Highway 21 near Erickson Road. The rear door was open and a passenger’s foot was hanging out. The driver was found to be impaired and got a 90-day driving prohibition for his trouble. The vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
• An intoxicated male found lying on the side of Highway 21 was taken to hospital for observation.
July 5
• A pedestrian complained of being harassed by a passing vehicle on Canyon Street.
• A vehicle attempting to exit a Northwest Boulevard parking lot backed up to avoid oncoming traffic and hit a car behind. Minor damage resulted.
• Theft of items from an Erickson residence in the previous week amounted to about a $1,000 loss.
• A male on Erickson Road was given a ticket for consuming liquor in public.
• Police attended the site of a brush fire that got out of control in Wynndel.
• One of the parties in a dispute between brothers in the 3700 block of Highway 3 co-operated by leaving the premises.
July 6
• Charges are pending for a male who was arrested after a domestic assault on 12th Avenue.
• Police received a fraud complaint about “salesmen” who were selling an asphalt sealing service for thousands of dollars. The investigation continues.
• An Ash Street resident complained that he was been watched through a telescope by a nearby female. The female explained she is an avid birdwatcher.
• Police were called about an ongoing neighbours’ dispute on 20th Avenue South.
• A landlord-tenant dispute on Yahk Settlement Road eased when the unwanted female tenant signed an agreement to leave.
• An unattended car with a dog inside on Canyon Street was gone when police arrived.
• Police are investigating a possible theft on Northwest Boulevard.
• An alert citizen extinguished a Thompson Mountain campfire which a male and female camping couple had left unattended.
• An intoxicated male in Millennium Park fell and hit his head. He was taken to hospital for treatment and observation.
July 7
• A large, probably fraudulent food order was received by a local restaurant. Losses were not incurred because an employee checked and found the credit card information provided was false.
• A male driver who ran a stoplight on Northwest Boulevard was found to be impaired and issued a 90-day driving prohibition. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
• Police were called to a dispute between a property owner in the Kidd Creek area and another male.
• A female on Whimster Road complained about harassment in a variety of forms by her ex, who denied the accusations.
• A Chevy Malibu sustained minor damage in a hit and run on Canyon Street.
• Metal believed to be part of an airplane wing was found on a beach near Gray Creek on Highway 3A. Police are investigating.
• When police responded to a complaint about a bonfire in Kitchener the property owner said he was unaware of the campfire ban and co-operated by putting it out.
• Campers near Gray Creek called to report hearing possible bear noises outside their tent. Police found no bears in the area when they arrived.
July 8
• An Alberta driver in the 7000 block of Highway 3A swerved to avoid a deer and drove off the road and down a bank. No injuries were reported.
• A specialized dark brown Expedition bicycle was found on 10th Avenue North. The owner can claim it at the police station.
• A male reported missing was contacted by police, who learned he had gone out to pan for gold.
• When police checked on a report of a dog left in a vehicle on Northwest Boulevard they found the owner of a white Chevy had left the windows down and there was water in a dish. Unfortunately, he did not have valid insurance and was given a ticket.
• A motorhome was stolen from a 15th Avenue North residence and police located the suspect a short time later. He was arrested and held in cells while the investigation continued.
July 9
• A neighbour’s dispute over a fence drew a visit from police to Ash Street.
• Police were called to the market in Riondel, where a banned customer was causing a disturbance.
• A Dodge Charger parked near Highway 3/95 was vandalized.
• Police are investigating a female’s complaint of harassment by an ex-boyfriend on Highway 3A.
• A male was punched on Cook Street after trying to cadge a cigarette and then entering into a verbal altercation when his request was denied.
July 10
• The owner of an uninsured electric motorcycle was warned after determining the vehicle does require insurance to be operated on public roads.
• Two flat screen TVs and a Sony PlayStation 4 were reported stolen from a Simon Road residence.
• Police are investigating the reported theft in the last month of a yellow electric bicycle from an 8th Avenue South residence.
• A male hitchhiker reported to be abusing a German Shepherd on Highway 3 was not located by police.