Okanagan woman, 33, identified as victim of fatal Kelowna pedestrian crash
'I imagine at her service on Saturday is when we'll notice that she's actually gone,' said Townsend.
Her 33-year-old daughter, Brittany Fraser, was struck and killed on June 21st while trying to cross the street at the intersection of Highway 97 and Burtch Road in Kelowna.
'A police officer showed up on the doorstep, and that's when we found out my daughter — our daughter — was gone,' Townsend said.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Kelowna RCMP say the collision involved two vehicles. Impairment was not a factor, but speed was, according to investigators. The crash remains under investigation.
'Because of somebody's negligence, that was taken away from me,' Townsend said. 'She could have had another 60 years of life. But because somebody was in too big of a hurry and didn't pay attention, they took that away.'
Story continues below advertisement
Fraser was just one week away from moving back to Cranbrook to live with her family.
'My mom was just ecstatic about having her back,' said Townsend. 'She was actually going to be living with my mom because my mom's alone and she's 83 years old.'
A GoFundMe has been created to help cover funeral costs. Townsend says the expenses could reach close to $9,000. Part of the funds will also support the family who took in Brittany's cat, Goliath.
A small memorial now marks the spot where Brittany lost her life — a painful reminder for all who pass by.
'Slow down and don't be in such a big hurry,' Townsend pleads. 'There's nothing that can't wait an extra minute or two.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
3 hours ago
- Global News
Tesla driver altercation on BC Ferries latest in ‘negative interactions,' union says
BC Ferries workers are calling for more safety measures for staff when on board vessels, after recent incidents have resulted in altercations and injuries. On Canada Day, North Saanich RCMP officers were called on board a vessel after a man was seen yelling and being abusive toward staff. The Queen of Cumberland was travelling to Swartz Bay from the Southern Gulf Islands around 11:30 p.m. when the incident happened. The man appeared to be driving erratically and trying to drive onto the ferry deck before it had docked, police said. Eric McNeely, provincial president of the BC Ferry Marine Workers Union, said he has heard from workers and union members that the man got out of the vehicle during the crossing and then picked up a sledgehammer from the anchor compartment and then used that to break the lock off the gate at the front of the ferry. Story continues below advertisement He said the man then got back into the vehicle, a Tesla, and was trying to drive it around. 'At that point, the crew responded,' McNelly said. Passenger Pratham Khowala caught what happened next on video. 'As I went towards the window of the upper deck, I saw that the person was trying to run over a BC Ferries crew (member) with his car,' he told Global News. Khowala said the man in the Tesla was confrontational and abusive. The man gets back in the Tesla and that's when RCMP officers can be seen removing him and putting him in handcuffs. The man appears to only be wearing a shirt, socks and either underwear or short shorts. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy RCMP officers told Global News the man was dealing with a mental health crisis. 0:42 BC Ferries workers punched, kicked, bitten by shirtless passenger BC Ferries said it does have security on board its bigger vessels but not on the smaller routes that this passenger was on. Story continues below advertisement This comes after a violent incident happened on board the BC Ferries Spirit of British Columbia last Saturday morning. The union says that on the 7 a.m. sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, a deckhand was punched and kicked by a shirtless man on the vehicle deck. The ship's second officer and security tried to intervene, the union said, but the man ended up racing through the galley and biting the second officer, drawing blood. An off-duty police officer then got involved and, along with several crew members, managed to subdue the man. The man was taken into custody by police at Swartz Bay. The ship's second officer went to the hospital for treatment as a precaution, the union said. McNeely said there has been an increase in negative interactions on board BC Ferries, involving verbal and physical abuse of staff. 'I think there's often events that occur on ferries that most people don't see,' he said. 'Now that there's more awareness, especially coming off the weekend with the passenger punching a crew member and then biting and kicking another crew member, there's a little bit of more awareness.' Story continues below advertisement 2:39 Mechanical issue leaves BC Ferries passengers floating McNeely said interactions often involve the misuse of substances and those dealing with mental health challenges. 'Ferry workers and people who work for BC Ferries aren't corrections officers, they aren't police officers and it looks like at some points we're going to need more tools than we have currently,' he added. In a statement to Global News, BC Ferries said the kind of behaviour seen over the weekend and Canada Day was not acceptable. 'Our crews keep the ferry system moving — through storms, long weekends, and high-pressure days,' the organization said. 'They deserve to do that work without fear of aggression or abuse.' BC Ferries said it is supporting the employees involved and it is looking at additional training to reflect the 'real-world' situations that crew members are dealing with. Story continues below advertisement Khowala said that staff on his ferry acted in a professional and calm manner. 'They are the best people in these kind of matters,' he said. 'BC Ferry staff was like, 'Everybody just go back to the upper deck for safety issues. Or if you have a car, just sit back in your car.''
Ottawa Citizen
4 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Widow of man who drowned at Westboro Beach praises those who saved her son
A day after losing her husband, the widow of the man who drowned near Westboro Beach praised those who saved her son's life. Article content In a post to a Westboro community Facebook group, Amanda Laflair said she and her family were not OK, but said she was 'grateful so very grateful my sone is alive.' Laflair also thanked the emergency responders and medical professionals in the post. Article content Article content Article content 'God bless you guardian angels for helping to save my baby,' Laflair wrote. Article content Article content Laflair confirmed to CBC News that the man who drowned Wednesday was 42-year old Rowell Navarro. The Ottawa Police Service could not confirm the name of the deceased to the Ottawa Citizen. Article content The Ottawa Citizen attempted to contact Laflair, but did not hear back in time for publication. Article content Laflair has set up a GoFundMe page, writing that she, 'Tragically lost my husband when he drowned trying to save our 8 year old son.' Article content Laflair said she is raising funds to help pay for the funeral and support the family, as she will be unable to work. Article content The incident occurred near Westboro Beach on July 2 at about 1:40 p.m. Article content 'When crews arrived on scene it was confirmed that an 8-year old child was safely rescued from the water,' Paul Hutt, chief for the Ottawa Fire Services, said in a statement. 'However, an adult male who entered the water had gone missing.' Article content Article content Hutt said that at approximately 2:25 p.m., the man was located through a grid search and using SONAR (sound navigation and ranging). Article content Article content 'While the incident occurred near Westboro Beach, it did not take place at the beach site, and City lifeguards stationed at the beach were not involved in the response,' the statement continued. Article content The father and son were swimming away from the public beach because they had the family dog with them at the time, Laflair wrote on her GoFundMe page. Article content Const. Fern John-Simon, spokesperson for the Ottawa Police Service, confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen that the incident occurred outside the sightline of lifeguards working at the beach. Article content Hutt also shared 'heartfelt condolences' to the deceased's family and loved ones. Article content 'Our thoughts are with those impacted by this incident,' Hutt said. Article content According to John-Simon, the adult man and his child were swimming before they were in distress. At the time, police said, a passerby walking by heard the father and child struggling, and they went into the water to rescue the child.
Global News
4 hours ago
- Global News
Alberta cell tower vandalism leaves people without phone service for weeks
Some people living in a rural area north of Edmonton have been unable to use their cellphones at home for weeks, after the nearby cell tower was wrecked by vandals. Renee Hoyme has been travelling from her home in Thorhild County, Alta., to nearby towns for service. On Thursday, she was in a Westlock parking lot, making calls and running her business in between errands. She's been making stops like this since June 14, when Telus says vandals destroyed a 350-foot cell tower near Hoyme's home. View image in full screen A cell tower lies on the ground in Thorhild County, Alta. on June 14, 2025. Telus says vandals destroyed the tower. Courtesy: Renee Hoyme 'Having to come to town every day to make phone calls, doctor's appointments, business calls — it's just a nightmare,' Hoyme said. Story continues below advertisement Elaine Larson is in the same situation as Hoyme. She used to be able to see the cell tower from her yard. Now, she drives down the road until she gets service so she can check her messages. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'I'm guardian for my brother and for three days they tried to reach me from his hospital that he was having some issues,' Larson said. 'For three days I didn't have a phone because not everybody goes somewhere everyday.' Both Larson and Hoyme say the situation is not just an inconvenience, but also a safety problem. They can't call 9-1-1 at home. 'We're rural. There's crime, medical emergencies,' Larson said. 'What do we do until (it's fixed)?' Hoyme is worried the dead zone will become even more problematic for her work. 'With the busy harvest season coming up, we don't know what we're going to be able to do, because we rely on our cellphone reception for communication between the home base, combines, trucks and everything,' Hoyme said. 'As a temporary solution, our teams have adjusted nearby antennas to provide additional coverage to the impacted areas until a new, upgraded tower can be built,' a Telus spokesperson told Global News in a statement. 'Once on air, this new tower will bring enhanced wireless service to the area.' Story continues below advertisement They did not offer a timeline of when a new tower will be installed. Both Hoyme and Larson say Telus can't control vandalism, but they want more communication about when a tower will be up and operating. 'Obviously, it's out of their hands,' Hoyme said. 'We just want answers as to what's going to happen from here on out.' Telus says the incident has been reported to police. The company is asking anyone with information to tell the local authorities.
