Though the temperatures have dropped and the thought of a warm vehicle is enticing, the Nelson Police Department are reminding residents to not leave your unattended vehicle running.
On Thursday morning just before noon, a man attended the front counter of the downtown police station to report that his unattended vehicle in Uphill collided with a fence.
The owner of the vehicle advised that he left his vehicle running and unattended and returned a few minutes later to find it was gone. The Nelson resident discovered that the vehicle had smashed through a fence and it had come to rest in the front yard of another home.
Officers attended and determined that the damage to the fence was approximately $1,500 dollars.
“Not only is this [leaving a running vehicle unattended] an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act, it is also a public safety issue,” acting sergeant Dino Falcone stated in a press release. “Police are thankful that there were no injuries in this incident.”
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On Friday afternoon just after 2 p.m., an 81-year-old driver accidentally pushed on the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal while proceeding out of the Chahko Mika Mall parking lot.
The driver claimed that her foot then became wedged against the gas pedal and caused her to lose control. She collided with an unattended vehicle, which was pushed into the side of another vehicle which then pushed into another vehicle.
The driver’s vehicle was towed due to extensive damages and the towing company had to separate two other unoccupied vehicles from the scene.
The driver was transported to Kootenay Lake Hospital for observation, but there were no serious injuries.
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On Thursday evening, Nelson police conducted a CounterAttack Road Check at various locations in the city.
A total of 425 vehicles were checked. Police issued one 24-hour suspension, seized marijuana from three separate vehicles and handed out several violation tickets including a no insurance violation ticket for $598 dollars. Several warnings were also given to motorists.
“Road checks will continue throughout the holiday season,” stated Falcone. “A taxi fare anywhere in the city is less than $20 dollars, however, if you blow a fail the fines total approximately $5,000 dollars. Please don’t drink and drive. It’s not worth it.
“The Nelson Police Department wishes all travelers a safe journey to and from your destination over the holidays.”