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GREATER TRAIL ON THE BEAT: Driver blows five times legal limit

“The last time I had one like that was in Castlegar about 15 to 20 years ago... it isn't common." - Sgt. Darren Oelke

On June 18, local RCMP officers received numerous calls about a suspected impaired driver in the area. Officers responded and found a man driving a blue Toyota Tundra who appeared to be impaired.

“We had a couple of driving complaints come in from the public,” said Sgt. Darren Oelke. “We had one come in from Montrose and one out by the dump. It was teamwork.”

After being apprehended, the driver was subject to two Breathalyzer tests. One showed a reading of .380 blood alcohol concentration and the second showed a .390 BAC.  Oelke says those numbers don't commonly show up during drunk driving cases.

“The last time I had one like that was in Castlegar about 15 to 20 years ago,” he said. “We'll see it occasionally, but it isn't common.”

Operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level that high generally isn't possible for the average person.

“To come anywhere near that, you would have to be very seasoned,” said Oelke. “Sometimes, when you get drivers like this, they don't show the same symptoms as a normal guy. If I were to blow .100, I would be slurring my words.”

The driver has been charged with driving while impaired, driving with a blood alcohol level over .08 and driving while prohibited.

This driver wasn't the only person behind the wheel to get caught for impaired driving last week. According to police reports, two drivers were given 90-day license suspensions. Both drivers were discovered during routine traffic stops.

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On June 12, local RCMP officer responded to a call for a domestic violence situation in Trail. The female victim had sustained injuries to her face and head. The male was arrested and held in court and the victim received treatment for her injuries at the Trail Regional Hospital.

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Oelke also wants to warn vehicle owners of a rash of thefts from unlocked cars in the Warfield area.

“[We want to tell the public] to lock their doors and don't leave any valuables in the car,” he said. “We had five or six [thefts] in Warfield all in one night and every car was unlocked.

According to Oelke, money, iPods, cameras, laptops and other high-priced items were taken from the vehicles and the thefts were almost certainly crimes of opportunity.

“Typically, what we see, is they go around and try door handles,” he said. “The biggest thing to do is lock your doors and don't leave any valuables in there.”

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The neighbourhood along the 200 block of 10 Ave. in Montrose has seen a few incidents reported to police regarding mischief during the night. One homeowner had their tomato plants pulled from the ground, while another had their garden lights taken as well as other general mischief.