Female charged with assaulting a police officer
Female charged with assaulting a police officer
On Jan. 1 while investigating a “fight in progress” at a local licensed establishment, police were advised of a female patron who had been ejected twice from the bar but kept returning. The 28-year-old local woman was very intoxicated and was arrested. She became highly agitated when being booked into cells and threw a cellphone at police and lashed out, striking an officer in the head and neck area. She was held in custody until she sobered up and will appear in provincial court in March to answer to a charge of assaulting a police officer.
Probation conditions breached
On Dec. 20 at approximately 4 p.m., Merritt RCMP responded to an abandoned 911 call from the 1300 block of Walnut Avenue. Upon arrival at the residence, police found the front door was wide open, food spilled on the floor, a knife sticking in the kitchen floor and the phone unplugged. Investigation resulted in police locating a local 53-year-old man in the residence who was subsequently arrested for breaching his court-imposed probation conditions. The local man, William Mcleod, was held in custody and when he appeared in provincial court in Kamloops on Dec. 21, he pled guilty and received a sentence of 45 days in jail to be served on weekends and one year of probation.
Truck runs over fence
On Dec. 24 at approximately 8 p.m., Merritt RCMP responded to a citizen’s complaint that a male driving a pickup truck had run over a fence and had driven to the corner of Granite Avenue and Charters Street. Police located a 45-year-old man from Beaverlodge, Alta., standing next to the pickup truck. A witness observed the truck drive over the fence on Nicola Avenue. The driver was found to have been drinking and his ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired. He was subsequently served with a three-day immediate roadside prohibition and his driver’s licence was seized and his vehicle was also towed.
Intoxicated pedestrian
On Dec. 24 at approximately 9 p.m., Merritt RCMP responded to a citizen’s complaint that they had almost struck an intoxicated female with their vehicle eight kilometres south of Merritt on Coldwater Road. Police located a female matching the description provided and identified her as local 41-year-old Melanie Heppner. Miss Heppner was grossly intoxicated and was found to be in breach of her court-imposed conditions. She was held in custody until Dec. 27 when she appeared before a provincial court judge. She pled guilty and was sentenced to 21 days in jail.
Driver impaired by drugs
On Dec. 29 at approximately 10:30 p.m., Merritt RCMP were conducting a road check on Houston Street at Pooley Avenue. Police checked a white Jeep Cherokee and found that the driver was displaying symptoms of impairment by drug. Investigation confirmed that the 46-year-old local man’s ability to drive a motor vehicle was impaired by drugs. He was issued a 24-hour driver’s licence suspension and his vehicle was also impounded.
Curfew breached
On Dec. 30 at approximately 4 a.m., Merritt RCMP responded to a commercial alarm in the 1700 block of Garcia Street. Investigation confirmed that the business had been broken into and a quantity of cigarettes were stolen. Through processing the scene and the evidence, a suspect was identified as 21-year-old local Mark Clayton Dewar. Dewar was located and arrested for break, enter and theft and for breaching his curfew. He was remanded in custody and appeared before a provincial court judge on Jan. 7.
Business break-in
On Jan. 1 at approximately 12:30 a.m., Merritt RCMP responded to a report of a possible break-and-enter into a business in the 1700 block of Garcia Street. Investigation revealed that a the front door of the business had been smashed and entry was gained by unknown suspect(s). A small quantity of change was stolen. If anyone has any information about this, they are asked to call the Merritt Detachment or Crime Stoppers.
Man arrested for assault
On Jan. 1 at approximately 1:30 a.m., police officers from Merritt RCMP and Central Interior Traffic Services responded to a “fight in progress” at a local licensed establishment in the 1900 block of Voght Street. Police arrived at the scene and observed a large group of people outside the bar. Investigation resulted in the arrest of a 36-year-old local man. The man was arrested for assaulting two other males and was held in custody overnight until he sobered up. He will appear in provincial court in March.
Obstructing a peace officer
On Jan. 1 while investigating a “fight in progress” at a local licensed establishment, Merritt police officers were confronted by a local 48-year-old man who began yelling and swearing at them. The man was intoxicated. He was arrested and in the process of being handcuffed, refused to comply with police direction. A small scuffle ensued, and the police officer was assisted by a bystander and a police officer from the Central Interior Traffic Services. The male was transported to the detachment where he was lodged in cells until he sobered up. He will appear in provincial court in February to answer to a charge of obstructing a peace officer.
Stolen Ski-Doos
Sometime in the past weeks, two snowmobiles and a utility trailer were stolen from Highway 8. The snowmobiles are both Ski-Doos. The first is described as a Touring ‘E’ on the hood, 380 c.c., green, and has no seat; the second is a Touring ‘E’ on the hood, 380 c.c., green, with no windshield with a crushed hood. The utility trailer has B.C. licence plate number ULV 47Y. If anyone has any information about this, they are asked to call the Merritt Detachment or Crime Stoppers.
Stolen snowmobile trailer
Sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Jan. 2, a grey Karavan snowmobile trailer was stolen from the parking lot of the Thyne Mountain Forest Service Road in Brookmere, B.C. The B.C. licence plate on the trailer is USC 19G. If anyone has any information about this, they are asked to call the Merritt Detachment or Crime Stoppers.
Children left alone
On Jan. 5 at approximately 12:21 p.m., Merritt RCMP received information that four children under the age of five had been left unattended by their parent since the early morning hours. Members attended a residence in the 1700 block of Menzies Street and located the four children who were temporarily being cared for by a neighbour. The Ministry of Children and Family Development attended and removed the children. Investigation continues and charges are pending against a 28-year-old Merritt woman.
Merritt Detachment:
250-378-4262
Crime Stoppers:
1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
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