• Dec. 29, 2016: An officer with the Sidney North Saanich RCMP responded to a complaint of a hit and run in the Save-On Foods parking lot in Sidney. The victim reported a vehicle had backed into her car and then drove off. Witnesses reported the driver of the suspect vehicle might have been impaired as he had urinated in the plants in front of his vehicle where it had been parked prior to the hit and run.
The suspect vehicle was located and stopped a short time later. The driver had a strong odour of liquor on his breath and an open can of beer in the vehicle. The driver was asked to provide a breath sample into an Approved Roadside Screening Device, registering a “Warn” and the driver ended up with a three-day driving prohibition along with having his vehicle impounded. The driver was also issued a violation tickets for Possession of Open Liquor in a Motor Vehicle and Reverse when Unsafe.
• Dec. 31, 2016: RCMP officers were on patrol in downtown Sidney and checked a suspicious looking van parked near the Bevan Pier. A male was observed passed out in the rear seat. A check of the licence plate showed the van had been reported stolen with keys from Nanaimo almost two weeks earlier. The occupant was arrested without incident and the vehicle was towed. The occupant was later released without charge as there was insufficient evidence to prove he knew the van was stolen.
• Sidney North Saanich RCMP dealt with many disturbance-type calls and handed out several 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibitions to impaired drivers during New Year’s Eve 2016 and into the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. At approx. 4:40 a.m. on Jan. 1, an officer observed a vehicle fail to come to a complete stop at a red light in Sidney. A traffic stop was conducted and the male driver was found to be dressed only in his pajamas.
The driver explained that he had been out all night and after getting home and changed for bed, he decided to drive to the store for cigarettes. The RCMP officer noticed an odour of liquor on the driver’s breath and subsequently asked him to provide a breath sample, which he failed. The driver received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Driving Prohibition and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days. The driver was given a ride to his friend’s house by the RCMP officer.
• Jan. 2: The RCMP responded to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal for a complaint of an indecent act on a BC Transit Bus. Officers spoke with several witnesses who stated a male had been masterbating in front of other passengers while travelling to the ferry terminal. Witnesses provided police photographs. The suspect was located nearby and arrested for Committing an Indecent Act. He was later released on a Promise to Appear with applicable conditions and will be appearing in court next month.
— Sidney North Saanich RCMP