When our Kootenay news team sees an email from the local RCMP come across our desk, its not often we would associate it with funny or witty, but Trail detachment’s Sgt Mike Wincentowich has raised the bar with his way of words.
In fact, it has become a highlight of our working week to see what Wicentowich will say in the Wicentowich way, and we are proud to bring our top collection for 2024.
Impaired driving taken to a new level
- Chicken on the highway
On Sunday, April 7, 2024, at 2:57 p.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer responded to a report of a single vehicle accident on Highway 3, near the Nancy Green Junction, in Rossland.
The officer attended the scene and located the man and his crashed vehicle. The man reported that he was uninjured after the crash. His vehicle had sustained serious front end damage after colliding with a concrete barricade and needed to be towed from the scene. The man allegedly told the officer that he was reaching for a piece of fried chicken when he veered into the barrier.
“This bite of chicken could have been deadly. Distracted driving one of the leading causes of fatal incidents on our highways in BC. Please stay focused on driving and leave the chicken dinner at home,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- You don’t make friends with salad
On Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 7:15 p.m., frontline Trail and District RCMP officers received a report about a vehicle swerving back and forth on the road on Highway 22B, near Genelle. The officers located the vehicle and detained it roadside.
The officer spoke to the 18-year-old South Slocan woman driving the vehicle. She reportedly admitted to eating a bowl salad while driving, resulting in swerving all over the road.
“In this case, salad could be bad for you, if you cause a crash. Any kind of activity that distracts you from driving can be considered distracted driving, and a hefty fine can be issued,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
Animal encounters
- Wall street to Baker Street, AI to ET
On Friday, May 3, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a report of a bear in the yard of a residence in the 2000 block of 7th Avenue, in Trail. The officer attended and located the approximately two-year-old brown coloured bear eating household garbage in the yard.
The officer scared off the bear by throwing a few small rocks in its general area.
Trail RCMP has seen an uptick in preventable human-wildlife conflict as local bears are activate in the area. The bears are hungry and looking for food after a long winter nap.
“Please don’t be the un-bear-able neighbour who keeps garbage and other attractants in their yard. Removing potential food sources is really the bear necessity in Kootenay life,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Moose on the loose in downtown Rossland
On Monday, July 30, 2024, the Trail and Greater District RCMP received a report a large male moose has been wandering around for approximately one week in downtown Rossland.
A photograph of the moose was taken near a business by a local entrepreneur.
“Please do not attempt to feed or provide the moose with any refreshing beverages, or attempt to ride it,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- You’ve got to be kitten me!
On Friday, October 4, 2024, at 1:43 p.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a report about an argument between two people over the feeding of a cat, in Trail.
The owner was concerned about the amount of food the cat was eating while the other person had purchased the food and believed the cat should have been fed. The attending officer was able to help the pair worked out a feed plan.
“We are glad that the officer helped them avoid a cat-atrophe over this disagreement,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Officer, it’s the dog’s fault
On Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 6:19 p.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer responded to a report of an erratic driver on Highway 3B, in Montrose.
The officers located the 45-year-old man and his vehicle and detain them roadside in Fruitvale. The officers spoke to the man who reported that he had been distracted by his dog and it caused his erratic driving.
The officers provided the man with a warning about driving while distracted.
“Please be aware that driving while distracted can net you a fur-real $368 fine,” said Sgt. Wicentowich.
Quotes too good to not share
- Eye don’t want to see that again
On Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 3:36 p.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a complaint about a naked man walking around outside of his house, in Fruitvale. The man had been reported on previous occasions concerning this behaviour.
The officer attended the man’s residence and spoke to the man, requesting the man refrain from exiting his house while nude for the sake of the neighbour wellbeing.
“It’s time to put away the buns and wieners as it is almost the end of summer,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Mystery noise leads to police investigation
On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers assisted an 82-year-old Trail woman who reported a loud machine-like noise reverberating through her residence on Devito Drive, in Trail.
The officer attended the residence and heard the loud noise described by the elderly woman. After a short investigation, an officer located a central vacuum floor vent that was stuck open. He closed the vent, the central vacuum shut off, and the noise ceased.
“I would make a vacuum pun, but it would probably suck,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Intoxicated man facedown and shirtless in a parking lot
On Sunday, June 23, 2024, a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer responded to a report of an intoxicated 26-year-old Trail man stripping down and causing a disturbance in the 1100 block of Bay Avenue, in downtown Trail.
The officer located the man laying facedown on the pavement and refusing to go home despite being surrounded by wife and friends. His wife and friends were willing take care of him at home; however, the man declined and opted for jail. The officer opted to arrest the man and lodged him into the cellblock at the Trail Detachment until sober after not being able to convince him to go home.
He was released to his wife the next day when he was sober.
“I’d probably would have stay in the cellblock for my own safety if my wife was waiting for me after a night like that,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- She deployed her emergency flashers
On Friday, July 19, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP received a report that a topless year-old Nelson woman was allegedly waving her shirt in the air and standing in the middle of the Highway 22, near Trail.
The woman’s vehicle was parked nearby on the side of the road. A motorist stopped to check on the woman who claimed that she was drunk and needed to stop for a break from driving.
An officer located the woman who claimed to be named Kim Kardashian and said she was trying to get sunglasses to a local business but was not successful. The officer determined, surprisingly, that the woman was sober.
“The heat affects us all differently, I guess. And that’s one way to get people to stop and provide roadside assistance” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Downtown Trail Olympic events underway
On Sunday, August 4, 2024, at 8:56 p.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a report that a group of men were pole vaulting over a woman near the intersection of Pine Avenue and Eldorado Street, in Trail. Everyone had left the scene by the time the police were notified.
“Police did not receive any information on who took the gold,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- No vacancy at the local clink
On Saturday, September 21, at 2:59 p.m. a frontline Trail Greater District RCMP officer received a request via phone call for a night’s accommodation in jail from a 21-year-old Fort John man.
The man reported that he had been drinking, did not have a place to stay, and wanted to sleep inside a jail cell. The man’s request was denied.
“We do not provide a room without a view at the taxpayer’s expense to just anyone asking. We did; however, received a good rating on Google from one client who spend the night,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Let’s get the fork(lift) out of here!
On Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 8:47 p.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer responded to a suspect attempting to commandeer a forklift from a location on Red Mountain Road, near Rossland.
The officer attended the scene and located the forklift abandoned on the road. The officer secured the forklift and arranged for it to be returned to it original location.
A second officer was conducting a patrol nearby on Telemark Road when he encountered a vehicle stuck in the snowbank.
This officer located a 36-year-old Rossland man who was driving the vehicle prior to the crash. The man appeared to be uninjured at the time of the incident.
The officer made observations that led him to believe the man’s ability to operate a motor vehicle may be impaired by alcohol. A demand was read to the man who provided a sample of breath roadside that resulted in a failure.
The officers suspected there was a connection between the 36-year-old Rossland man, and the forklift being moved.
“The officers recovering the forklift was an uplifting experience for them. They definitely help raised the bar with their investigation,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
- Passed out at the pumps
On November 24, 2024, at 6:58 a.m., frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a report about two people who appeared unconscious inside their vehicle which was parked beside gas pumps at a business in Warfield.
The officers located a 34-year-old Fruitvale man and his passenger asleep inside the idling vehicle parked near a gas pump. The officers roused both occupants with some difficulty.
One officer made observations that lead him to believe the man’s ability to operate a motor vehicle was allegedly impaired by a drug. A demand was read to the man who passed a Standard Field Sobriety Test.
The officers searched the vehicle and seized opened liquor, stolen licence plates, unstamped cigarettes, and drug paraphernalia.
“Officers thought maybe they saw the high gas prices and fainted,” says Sgt. Wicentowich.
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