• On Oct. 8, a two-vehicle accident was reported in the 5200 block of Chartwell Road in Sechelt after a test drive went awry.
The test driver, while attempting a u-turn, pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and panicked, hitting the gas harder, which propelled the vehicle into a second vehicle parked in a driveway.
This pushed the second vehicle through a garage door and a wall before it came to a rest. The test driver was trapped in the vehicle by the garage door and was extricated with the help of the Sechelt fire department. None of the three occupants in the vehicle suffered obvious injuries but two, including the driver, were taken to hospital for assessment. Fortunately, no one was in the residence at the time of the incident. Both vehicles were still driveable, but the house suffered extensive damage. The matter has been referred to ICBC for further investigation.
• On Oct. 8 a shoplifter was reported at a business in the 1100 block of Highway 101 in Gibsons, after the suspect attempted to steal a basketful of unpaid for goods.
Staff followed the suspect out of the business and confronted the male, who verbally abused the staff before leaving the basket on the sidewalk. The male then left the scene on foot. The suspect, described as Caucasian in his mid 30s to 40s, 6’2” tall, was wearing a brown and olive green two-tone baseball hat, blue rain jacket and had a red back-pack.
• On Oct. 8, a single-vehicle accident was reported in the 11200 block of Highway 101 in Pender Harbour, after a vehicle struck a deer. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage and had to be towed, but the driver was uninjured. Pender Harbour volunteer fire and police searched for the injured deer, but could not locate it.
• On Oct. 9, police witnessed a vehicle speeding westbound on Pratt Road in Gibsons. Radar confirmed the suspect vehicle was travelling more than double the posted speed limit. Police initiated a traffic stop and issued the driver a seven-day vehicle-impound notice and a violation ticket for excessive speed.
• On Oct. 9, staff at a business in the 900 block of Gibsons Way reported a possible shoplifter after the female suspect left the premises and merchandise was noticed to be missing from a rack. The staff member took down the suspect's vehicle information and police are reviewing surveillance video footage. The file is still under investigation.
