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California man injured on snowmobile tour

Police Briefs: Break-in at Function business; Police report mellow New Year's Eve
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A San Francisco man is recovering from what police are calling "a serious" head injury suffered in a snowmobile crash last week. The 31-year-old was part of a two-person guided tour of Brandywine Mountain on Jan. 5 when he veered off the trail, struck a tree, and became pinned between the tree and his snowmobile, police said.

After injuring his head, the man was taken by the snowmobile guides to the local clinic before being transported to a Lower Mainland hospital, according to a Whistler RCMP release.

Officers attended the scene and interviewed several witnesses to the crash. An investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, police said.

Police continue to investigate break-in at Function Junction business

Whistler RCMP is investigating a reported break-in to a Function Junction business that is believed to have taken place sometime over the holidays.

A shed outside the business, located in the 1000 block of Millar Creek Road, was likely broken into sometime between Dec. 22 and Jan. 2. Police said it appears the suspect gained access by prying open a deadbolt on the shed's door. Approximately $500 worth of copper wire and aluminum cable was reportedly taken.

Police attend two collisions on same icy patch of highway within 30 minutes of each other

A stretch of road along Highway 99 became a hotspot for accidents last week after police attended to a pair of collisions at the same location within a half-hour span.

At about 11:40 a.m. on Jan. 5, police said a southbound Honda lost control in icy highway conditions approximately 450 metres south of Alpha Lake Road, striking a concrete barrier.

A driver and passenger were taken to the Whistler Health Care Centre with minor injuries, police said.

Then, at 12:07 p.m., another Honda lost control at the same location, swerving into a ditch on the southbound side of the road. Although the vehicle sustained minor damage, neither the driver nor the passenger suffered any injuries, police said.

Incidents, arrests way down on New Year's Eve

A beefed-up police presence contributed to a drop in incidents for Mounties in Whistler on New Year's Eve, according to Staff Sgt. Paul Hayes. In all, police received 29 calls for service over the course of the night, down from 38 the year prior. "Almost all" of the reports were alcohol related, Hayes said. Six people were lodged in cells overnight, which was also down from the year before when 13 individuals were detained.

"Those were all related to alcohol, causing a disturbance, and drug possession," relayed Hayes, who said police had one drug seizure on the night, cocaine confiscated from a pair of suspects. "A strong police presence both in the village and on the roadways contributed in proactively getting ahead of issues and acted as a visual deterrent. All members in the village wore high-visibility vests, which allowed members of the public to easily spot police," Hayes noted. "And in turn police were able to focus attention on developing situations that were successfully deescalated by police prior to any crime or infraction being committed."