Farewell and welcome
Cpl. J.R. Michaud, who has been acting detachment commander in Ashcroft since March, is returning to duty in Kamloops.
The detachment’s new commander, Sgt. Kat Thain, takes over on September 27. She comes to Ashcroft from Keremeos.
Michaud was stationed in Ashcroft for three years as head of Central Interior Traffic Services before being transferred to Kamloops in 2012. While on patrol in December 2014 he was seriously injured when Kamloops resident Kenneth Knutson opened fire on him during a police stop.
In March 2016, Knutson pled guilty to a charge of attempted murder and was sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison.
Michaud will be with IRSU (Integrated Road Safety Unit), and will be travelling to different communities within the area for enforcement as needed. “My new position in Kamloops will give me a chance to be in Ashcroft once in a while, and I’m looking forward to being back.”
He says a thank you to everyone who had kind words for him when they saw him back in town. “A lot of people recognized me. And a lot of people waved at me—with all five fingers—which is good.
“I would have liked to stay longer, but I know the detachment will be in good hands with Kat, who is a good fit for the community.”
Missing from scene
On September 17 at 6 a.m., police received a call about a vehicle that had been in a crash on Thompson River Drive off Highway 1 near the Walhachin turn-off. When a member attended he found the vehicle had been abandoned.
No one was located in the area, but there was blood on the ground near the driver’s door. Further investigation at the site revealed several bags of drugs in and around the car. Hospitals around the area were checked, but the driver apparently did not seek medical attention. Anyone with information is asked to call the Ashcroft RCMP at (250) 453-9161.
Lost and found
On September 17 at 8:21 a.m., a woman from Logan Lake found a purse at the brake check in Ashcroft on Highway 97C, and brought it to the detachment. Simultaneously, a woman from Cache Creek reported that she had lost her purse. It was quickly returned to its owner.
Charges pending after assault
On September 17 at 4:45 p.m., police received a report of one woman being assaulted by another in the parking lot of the Ashcroft Apartment and Motel. The mother of one of the two women also became involved in the fracas. Charges of assault, uttering threats, and possessing an imitation weapon are among those pending against a 46-year-old woman.