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Alcohol makes its presence known at Beaver Valley May Days

Trail Champion
By Trail Champion
June 1st, 2023

On Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 7:42 p.m. frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a report of an allegedly intoxicated 54-year-old Fruitvale man causing a disturbance and attempting to start a fight with other patrons at the Beaver Valley May Days Festival located on Columbia Gardens Road, in Fruitvale, according to RCMP top cop RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicenotwich.

“Festival staff had ejected the man; however, attempted to return onto the grounds to fight as police arrived. An officer arrested the man for causing a disturbance and being drunk in a public place,” Wicentowich said. “The officer lodged the man into the cellblock at the Trail Detachment, and released him when sober.”

Later that evening saw more of the same

At 9 p.m. frontline officers conducted a foot patrol on the Beaver Valley May Days Festival grounds …, when an intoxicated 31-year-old Fruitvale man allegedly began shouting obscenities at the officers. The officers suggested the man calm down and return to his group of friends. His friends also tried to calm the man down but to no avail. When the officers approach the man to resolve the situation, he attempted to run away only to be stopped by an off-duty officer.

“An officer arrested the man for causing a disturbance and for being drunk in a public place,” Wicentowich said. “The man was actively resistive during his arrest; however, and “was eventually lodged into the cellblock at the Trail Detachment without serious incident.

The man was held overnight and released when sober. An officer issued the 31-year-old Fruitvale man a $115 fine for being intoxicated in a public place contrary to Section 74(1) of the BC Liquor Control and Licencing Act upon his release.

I am not sure what his ultimate goal was, and I am not sure if he knew either, Wicentowich said.

The day before these incidents, on Friday, May 26, at 10:01 p.m., frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a report of a 13-year-old Fruitvale youth located unresponsive in a bathroom at the Beaver Valley May Days Festival. The girl allegedly consumed an excessive amount of alcohol with her friend over the course of the night before falling unconscious, which prompted a call to 911. The girl had regained consciousness by the time the officers arrived.

Officers contacted the parent of the girl who took her to the hospital for a medical assessment.

Trail RCMP is thankful that we were able to intervene in this situation before it took a more serious turn. Parents, please take some time to talk to your kids about personal responsibility when unsupervised by an adult and the dangers of alcohol, says Sgt.Mike Wicentowich.

Categories: Crime

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