A former Whistler resident is among the 46 individuals that the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) has filed suit against to recover costs incurred during the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot on June 15, 2011.
Dozens of vehicles were damaged during the riot.
Alex Prochazka, who is listed as living in Nelson, was photographed and filmed celebrating near a green pickup truck that was tipped over and later set on fire.
A professional mountain biker and freeskier, Prochazka lost his main sponsors as a result of the incident, though he released a statement after the fact denying his involvement and apologizing for his poor judgment in having his photo taken at the scene. He was 20 years old at the time.
To date, ICBC claims it has paid money to repair or replace some 77 vehicles that were damaged in the riot, amounting to over half a million dollars so far. The claim further alleges that as many as 122 vehicles, including 24 emergency vehicles, were damaged or destroyed in the fray.
The total cost of the damage is unknown, although damage to businesses has been pegged at roughly $4 million with the subsequent police investigation topping $2 million. The cost of prosecuting suspects is also expected to cost several million dollars.
So far a total 229 people have been charged, and 149 have entered guilty pleas.
The ICBC suit only includes individuals that have plead guilty in relation to vehicle damage. Prochazka plead guilty in February, and his next court appearance for pre-sentencing is on July 12.
The damaged vehicle in question was a 1996 GMC truck. According to court documents ICBC paid $3,448.80 to the owner based on its market value.
ICBC is seeking compensation for the cost of the claims, as well as costs for the investigation and prosecution of the suit. The total list of damages sought includes general damages, special damages, aggravated damages, punitive damages, interest on costs and costs.
Shoplifting suspect arrested
On the afternoon on June 17, Whistler RCMP members noted a male coming into Whistler who was known to be active in property crime, and quickly made plans to put the male under surveillance. What followed was a shoplifting spree, and within the next hour-and-a-half the suspect, a 32-year-old Squamish male was arrested.
He now faces charges of possession of stolen property and theft under $5,000 after being found in possession of several items of clothing. He was also under a conditional sentence regarding previous property crimes, and as a result was in breach of his release conditions. He was sent to North Vancouver for processing, with the possibility that he would return to jail to complete his original sentence.
Police investigating break-and-enter
The Whistler RCMP is investigating a break-and-enter that occurred on Eva Lake Road on June 12, and was reported at 7 p.m. According to police, a person broke into a groundfloor window of a residence and stole approximately $16,000 worth of jewellery, a passport, two bikes and an iPad.
The RCMP seized several items from the house to check for fingerprints and officers are continuing to investigate. A suspicious male was observed in the area at 4 p.m. that day. If you have any information, contact the Whistler RCMP at 604-932-3044 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Five fail roadside tests
Police efforts to curb drinking and driving in the resort resulted in five individuals in the Whistler area failing roadside tests and being processed under the province's Immediate Roadside Prohibition laws. The drivers included four Whistler males aged 27, 28, 36 and 58, and a Vancouver male aged 39.
B.C.'s tough new drinking and driving laws have been credited in a University of Victoria study for reducing alcohol-related driving deaths by 40 per cent since 2010.
