Tis the season for fraud
Ashcroft RCMP say they are receiving complaints of telephone fraud from a caller representing themself as an employee of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The caller claims that the account of the person they’ve called is in arrears and they ask for the money supposedly owed or they ask for account information,
Do not give money or personal information over the phone.
Police advise that the area is also being targeted by an unscrupulous who calls to advise the person answering the phone that they have won a prize. Arrangements are made for a salesman to deliver the prize and while in the home, the salesman makes a long and aggressive sales pitch. It is not illegal, but it is unethical. If there is no purchase of the product, the prize offer is withdrawn. If the salesman refuses to leave the home when asked, the homeowner can call the police to come and remove him.
Police advise everyone not to give money or personal information over the telephone unless they know without a doubt who they are talking to.
Pickup collision
Dec. 10 at 10:20 am police attended a collision between two pickup grucks on Hwy 97 by 16 Mile after a northbound Dodge pickup lost control on an icy hill and spun into the oncoming lane where it was struck by a southbound Chev pickup. Both drivers were transported to the Kamloops’ hospital for treatment of minor injuries and their trucks were towed for repairs. The driver of the Dodge, a 44 year old Cache Creek man, was also given a ticket for speed relative to road conditions. A 53 year old woman from 150 Mile House was driving the Chev pickup.
In a big hurry
Dec. 10 at 4:10 pm police received an erratic driver complaint and located the suspect southbound vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed on Hwy 1 near the Hwy 97C turnoff. The 2003 Honda Accord was clocked at 144 kph and was issued a speeding ticket. The driver was a 36 year old Montreal man.
Impaired driver
Dec. 11 at 9 pm while conducting patrols around downtown Ashcroft, a Traffic Services officer noticed the driver of a 2015 Ford F150 spinning his tires at the intersection of Railway and Hwy 97C. The vehicle was stopped and the officer noticed a strong odour of liquor on the driver’s breath. The 21 year old Ashcroft man was brought back to the Detachment and samples of his breath were run through the intoximeter, which indicated that his blood alcohol was over the legal limit for driving. He was lodged in cells overnight and charged with impaired driving and driving while over .08. His truck was impounded for seven days.
Slushy stop
Dec. 13 at 10:30 am police attended a single vehicle rollover on Hwy 97 just south of Hat Creek where a southbound GMC Sierra had gone off the road after hitting some slush. The vehicle hit the ditch and rolled. The driver, a 59 year old Surrey man, and his 16 year old granddaughter, were treated by ambulance attendants for minor cuts and bruises at the scene.
Trapped in car with cigarette
Dec. 13 at 5:30 pm police attended a single vehicle accident on Hwy 97 near the Bonaparte Reserve. The driver, a 49 year old man from Forest Grove, said he was southbound when he dropped a lit cigarette in his lap. He took his eyes off the road and drove across the highway and into the oncoming ditch. He was trapped in his 1994 Chrysler Intrepid and had to be extracted by Ashcroft Fire Rescue. He did not suffer any injuries. He was issued a ticket for driving without consideration.