Busy weekend for police with bear spray and criminal mischief
By Kyra Hoggan
Last weekend was a busy one for local police, who answered 71 calls for service (as compared to roughly 25 on a normal weekend, according to RCMP Cpl. Deb Postnikoff.
On April 29 at 12:30 a.m., police responded to an address on First Avenue and Fourth Street, where a caller said a group of young males had been harassing a homeowner and his guests, who were sitting on the homeowners deck, visiting.
“An individual on the deck confronted the boys and chased them on foot down toward the tennis courts,” she said. “A struggle ensued between one of the males and a homeowner, and one of the young men took a can of bear mace and sprayed the homeowner.
“Castlegar RCMP and police dog services made patrols for the group – we know the identity of one of the males,” Postnikoff said. “We haven’t made any arrests yet, but the investigation is ongoing to determine who else was involved.”
The disturbances continued on into Monday, when police responded to a residence in the 200 block of Third Avenue.
“Police have responded to roughly 15 noise complaints at this residence over about a two-month period,” Postnikoff said. “On six of those occasions, the tenants were issued local house bylaw tickets costing $100 each.”
But the complaints continued.
“Enough was enough – these tenants didn’t appear to be getting the message,” she said. “When police attended the residence on April 30, they arrested the two tenants (a 20-year-old male and a 19-year-old female), who are both being criminally charged with mischief and are set to appear in Castlegar court on May 23.
“It’s a serious charge, carrying up to two years in prison, depending on how the courts handle it,” she added.
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