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Year in Review: Some top news from October 2022 in Williams Lake

Oct. 3, 2022
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Surinderpal Rathor stopped in a city hall Monday, Oct. 17 to discuss how things move forward following his election win Saturday night, Oct. 15. Rathor said he’s thrilled to move the city forward together. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Oct. 3, 2022

Police watchdog investigating in-custody death of young Williams Lake Indigenous man

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating the in-custody death of a man in Williams Lake during the early morning hours of Saturday, Oct. 1.

“Information provided by the RCMP indicates that in the evening on September 30, 2022, police stopped a man and a woman on a moped. At that time, the man was arrested and taken to the RCMP detachment and lodged in cells around 12:25 a.m. on October 1, 2022,” noted the IIO in a news release issued Monday, Oct. 3.

“At about 4:50 a.m., the man was found to be in medical distress. Emergency Health Services were called but despite life-saving measures, the man was subsequently pronounced deceased.”

The man who died in cells has been identified by his family as 21-year-old Surrance Myers. Family, friends and leaders from his Indigenous community of Yunesit’in gathered outside the RCMP detachment Sunday evening, Oct. 2 to sing and drum for the family as they awaited any information about the death.

Surrance’s father, Casey Myers, said he was notified of his son’s death at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. Sunday evening Casey still did not know why his son was in custody or what events occurred leading up to his death.

Oct. 4, 2022

Williams Lake city councillor seriously injured in motorcycle crash

A Williams Lake city councillor was in intensive care with serious injuries at Kelowna General Hospital after being in a crash on his motorcycle Monday, Oct. 3.

Ivan Bonnell, 65, was riding his motorcycle north back into town when at about 2:49 p.m. he was struck by a southbound F150 pickup truck that turned left near Speedy Petey’s Quick Lube at the intersection of Broadway Avenue South.

Oct. 4, 2022

Williams Lake, Cariboo Regional District release slope stability study

Large swathes of land on the west side of Williams Lake as well as outlying areas have been identified as “high hazard” and “moderate hazard” zones, according to a slope stability study released by the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) and City of Williams Lake Thursday, Sept. 29.

Areas in the active or recent high hazard red zone on the geotechnical hazard map includes portions of Dog Creek Road, Highway 20, Terra Ridge and the old college site as well as two areas on South Lakeside Drive.

Almost the entire west side of Williams Lake properties as well as some properties on the north side of the lake are in the blue zone – or ancient slide area, moderate hazard.

Oct. 14, 2022

Emergency preparedness for seniors focus of recent Elder College workshop in Williams Lake

Emergency preparedness for seniors was top of mind during an Elder College workshop held Thursday, Oct. 13 in Williams Lake.

Participants left armed with information including a copy of the Emergency Preparedness Guide: What Seniors Need to Know.

Oct. 17, 2022

Boitanio Park Disc Golf Course now open in downtown Williams Lake

A couple of dozen disc golf enthusiasts and some supporters came out to enjoy the grand opening of the Boitanio Park Disc Golf Course on the afternoon of Oct. 13.

The course is the fourth in the area, but this one is the showpiece course, designed and built by INdesign Disc Golf, a company based in the Lower Mainland.

Oct. 25, 2022

Property crime spree ends with dramatic crash on Highway 97 south of Quesnel

Two property crime suspects were arrested after their stolen vehicle rolled multiple times on Highway 97 south of Quesnel, with a third suspect located and arrested with the help of a police dog and helicopter after he swam across the Fraser River, said RCMP.

On Monday, Oct. 24, at approximately 6:20 a.m., the Quesnel RCMP responded to the theft of a 2000 Ford F-350 from a motel on Front Street.

Approximately one hour later, the stolen vehicle was used in the attempted theft of a boat and boat trailer from the Lakeview Crescent area. At 7:50 a.m., the suspects entered a rural property in Alexandria and attempted to steal a side-by-side with the stolen truck. When the property owner attempted to stop the theft, the stolen truck collided with the property owner’s vehicle.

The stolen vehicle fled north on Highway 97, where it rolled several times in the ditch after failing to negotiate a driveway to a field.

“Two suspects in the stolen vehicle were injured in the collision,” Kronebusch added. “The third suspect then stole a bystander’s Dodge 3500 welding truck and fled south on Highway 97.”

The truck was located on a rural property in Alexandria. When the police approached, the truck fled at a high rate of speed, narrowly missing an officer.

“As the police were closing in on the truck, the suspect drove into a yard and stole a quad,” Kronebusch said. “The suspect entered a field, drove through a barbed wire fence, and rolled the quad down a steep embankment.”

With the assistance of an RCMP police dog and a police helicopter, the suspect was located and arrested after he swam across the Fraser River to the west side. The suspect was exhausted and later transported to the hospital with symptoms of hypothermia.

Read more: Property crime spree ends with dramatic crash on Highway 97 south of Quesnel

Read more: Williams Lake city councillor seriously injured in motorcycle crash



ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com

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School District 27 Cross Country Run at Boitanio Park Oct. 7, 2022. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
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Mark Savard of the Cariboo Disc Golf Club sets up to throw a disc on the new disc golf course under construction right now in Boitanio Park. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)