whistler police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect who reportedly assaulted a pedestrian last month in the day lots.
On Feb. 16, RCMP received a report of an assault that occurred in one of the parking lots in the 4000 block of Blackcomb Way (police said there were opposing reports of the assault occurring in either Day Lot 2 or 4). Investigators have since learned that a pedestrian was walking through the lot when a vehicle approached, trying to pass. A "verbal altercation" ensued, police said, with the driver exiting his vehicle before reportedly assaulting the pedestrian and then driving away.
A witness on the scene snapped a blurry photo of the suspect and now police are looking for assistance in identifying the man.
He is described as Caucasian, approximately 30 to 35 years of age, weighing around 210 pounds (95 kilograms), with dark hair and a beard. He was also reportedly heard speaking with an Australian accent.
The suspect drove a silver Volvo with Washington plates and may have been travelling with two females at the time.
Anyone who can help identify the suspect is asked to contact the RCMP at 604-932-3044, or Sea to Sky Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or solvecrime.ca to remain anonymous.
Off-duty officer helps Whistler police nab drunk driver
An off-duty officer took time out of his day off to help police catch a suspected drunk driver last week, Mounties confirmed.
Last Wednesday, March 20, the officer noticed two males entering their vehicle in the area of Lake Placid Road and Sarajevo Drive in Creekside. Suspecting the driver was impaired, the off-duty cop contacted the detachment for assistance. After locating and stopping the vehicle, the RCMP spoke with the driver, and an on-duty officer echoed his colleague's suspicions, also believing the man to be impaired.
The driver, a 21-year-old Surrey man, subsequently failed two roadside breath tests. He was issued a 90-day driving prohibition and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
"If you choose to drink and drive in Whistler or Pemberton, be aware we are watching, both on duty and off, and take a zero-tolerance approach in our enforcement," police said in a release.
Police investigating report of gas syphoned from parked car
Whistler police are investigating a report this week of gas being syphoned from a parked vehicle in Cheakamus Crossing.
On Monday, March 25, Mounties received a report of "a large quantity of fuel" that was removed from the gas tank of a vehicle that had been parked in the 1000 block of Legacy Way sometime over the previous two days.
A commenter posting this week in the Cheakamus Crossing Facebook group said that her tank had been full, with "over 500km worth of gas," when she left the vehicle parked on Saturday afternoon, March 23. By the time she returned to the car two days later, she claimed there was only 100 kilometres worth of gas left.
One other Facebook user commenting on the thread said that gas had been taken from a van in recent days while parked on Mount Fee Road, while another said she noticed the gas cap on her SUV had been left open in the same timeframe.
"Police want to remind folks that if they notice suspicious vehicles and individuals in their neighbourhood, to contact the police. If possible, police also recommend a locking gas cap or cover to deter would-be gas thieves," read a release from police.
The RCMP continues to investigate and encourages any other victims of gas theft to contact the detachment at 604-932-3044.
