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POLICE REPORT: Man stops driverless vehicle on Stanley St.

Nelson Police Department thank John Irwin for stopping an unsecured vehicle from rolling down Stanley St.
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Nelson police are hailing the "selfless and brave" actions of a man who stopped a runaway vehicle from doing even greater damage than it did on Wednesday.

While driving on Wednesday afternoon, John Irwin noticed an older SUV roll back out of a parking spot and across Stanley St., into the far lane and back. It crossed the sidewalk and smashed into the concrete wall of the police station parking lot, then began to roll forward across the sidewalk for a second time and into the street.

"Recognizing the danger to the nearby pedestrians, vehicles and passengers driving by, Irwin decided to leap into action," Acting Sgt. Brian Weber said in a news release. "Having only a split second to react, he quickly parked his own vehicle, sprinted to the SUV, opened the driver’s door and secured the vehicle by applying the parking brake — all while the SUV was still moving."

No one was hurt and property damage was minimal.

Police were removing the SUV when the owner returned. She recognized her minor mistake could have resulted in serious injury. She was ticked for failing to properly secure her vehicle.

"She is not likely to soon forget her error," Weber said. "It is incumbent on all drivers to ensure your vehicle is secured in a gear or in park with the parking brake applied and the wheels turned toward the curb."

Weber noted the block of Stanley St. in front of the library is very busy in the afternoon, as vehicles are driving by, parking, turning, picking up and dropping people off and there are many pedestrians.

"The Nelson Police Department would like to thank John Irwin for his selfless and brave act," Weber said.

Love won and love lost

Police say a fight at the corner of Baker and Stanley streets just after noon Tuesday was the result of a lovers' spat.

They responded to numerous 911 calls to find a large crowd standing around a young man who was arrested. Weber said he appeared dazed and confused and had a bloody nose. Another man was also arrested.

Police interviewed everyone involved and discovered the fight was the "result of love won and love lost." The man with the nosebleed came across his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend and asked her to return a necklace he had given her. She did so, but received in return a nasty insult. The man then spat on her.

The woman's new boyfriend ran after the man and caught up to him.

"Although one would expect a beating to take place, the man that took control of the spitter and held him for police," Weber said. "While the spitter was restrained, another man unrelated to the incident rode up on his bicycle, dismounted, taunted the spitter and punched him on the nose."

Both men who were arrested were drunk and jailed until sobering up. Both face assault charges.