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Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Man charged with impersonating North Vancouver Mountie
NORTH VANCOUVER – Mounties in North Vancouver say a man has been charged after allegedly pulling over a Tesla and falsely identifying himself as an RCMP officer. They say the man was driving a Ford F-150 with lights that resembled emergency vehicle lights. Police say the man was arrested shortly after and was released pending a court date. They say officers determined during the investigation that there may be other victims who were pulled over by the suspect, so they made a social media post requesting victims to come forward. The RCMP say on June 24, the BC Prosecution Service formally charged the man with 'personating a peace officer' and using equipment likely to cause the public to believe he was a peace officer. Cpl. Mansoor Sahak says public safety is the detachment's top priority and they are encouraging the community to feel empowered questioning suspicious behaviour and take steps to verify an officer's identity. 'Your caution could help prevent further incidents and assist in ongoing investigations,' Sahak says in the news release. The release says if people suspect they may have been pulled over by a police impersonator, to take steps such as asking to see their badge, which will display their photo ID and regimental number. It says people could also call 911 and the dispatcher can verify if an officer is conducting a traffic stop in the area. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. man charged with murdering Bailey Plover was convicted of assault hours earlier
The man accused of murdering his estranged wife, Bailey Plover, in a Kelowna, B.C., parking lot last week had been convicted of choking someone and uttering threats just hours before Friday's attack that also left a second woman seriously hurt. The BC Prosecution Service says James Plover was originally charged in June 2024 in a case involving intimate partner violence, before being released on $500 bail and subject to what it says were 'extensive protective conditions.' James Plover was then charged with two more counts of uttering threats, the original case was stayed, and he was convicted last week in the new case that folded in the previous charges, with the victims' identities protected by a publication ban. Bailey Plover's uncle, Morey Maslak, says she had been estranged from James Plover since last year, and she was a 'loving, devoted mother' with a great sense of humour and a carefree happy-go-lucky nature. Maslak says her death was the result of a 'heinous' act that has left her family and friends 'hurting very, very badly.' He says her father, Shane McCourt, is 'not well' after his daughter's death, and the family is now started along the 'difficult path' of providing her young children with love and stability. Police in Kelowna said James Plover was charged with second-degree murder as a result of what it called a 'highly visible and tragic event.' Maslak said the family was working with investigators, and amid their grief they' are grateful and thankful to the many witnesses who came forward about the assault, leading to the arrest. James and Bailey Plover were involved in family law litigation, online court records show, and their file was last updated just over a week before she was killed. The young mother's social media accounts are under her maiden name, Bailey McCourt, and her Instagram profile calls her a 'mama of two,' a 'sports addict' and a 'domestic abuse survivor.' Maslak said the family was aware of 'incidents previously' between the estranged couple. 'In hindsight, maybe not to the extent of her concerns, and that's something that we're going to need to work through and deal with for the rest of our lives,' he said. News of the attack that police originally described as 'a motor vehicle incident and subsequent assault' spread quickly in the community. Local real estate agent Justin Wyllie said his girlfriend knew Bailey McCourt, and he knows people who worked with her at a local real estate brokerage. He has been sharing an open letter addressed to Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr. The letter to the Liberal MP says Bailey McCourt is 'one more name on a growing list of Canadians failed by a legal system that has become dangerously lenient.' 'We're all beside ourselves to see something like this happen in our community,' Wyllie said in an interview. 'There should be shame. The government should feel shame, the court system should feel shame. And we need to step up as a country and say No to this.' Justice reform and anti-violence advocate Cait Alexander said hearing of Bailey McCourt's killing was 'chilling' because of commonalities faced by victims of domestic violence in Canada when abusers are let out on bail. 'It's chilling because this is a direct result of bad policy. Bailey should be alive,' Alexander said. She said her ex-partner was also let out on $500 bail in 2021 after he allegedly tried to kill her, and she moved to the United States out of fear of encountering him in Toronto. Alexander's organization, End Violence Everywhere, is urging Canadian policy makers to implement meaningful bail reforms to protect survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. 'Survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and other violent crimes continue to be retraumatized by a bail system that too often prioritizes offender freedom over victim safety,' End Violence Everywhere said in a statement issued July 4. Maslak said his niece's death was 'traumatic' and affected many people and 'if there's anything that can come from this, you know, how many more times is this story, or a similar nature, going to play out before we're able to look at our judicial processes and understand how we can support people?' 'Obviously our family is struggling to try and make sense of any of this,' Maslak said. 'She was a loving, devoted mother, a beautiful daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin and friend and that's how we'll remember her.' Kelowna RCMP said it's holding a 'community outreach event' on July 10 after the 'tragic death' last week, the same day James Plover is due in a Kelowna courtroom on the second-degree murder charge. 'We understand that this event has caused significant concerns to the community and people may have questions about their safety and the incidents that they either witnessed or were involved in,' said Cpl. Allison Konsmo in a statement. 'This is a time for residents, community members and the public to come together, voice their concerns, ask questions and connect with resources.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.
Global News
09-07-2025
- Global News
Fatal Whistler stabbing lands man 4-year prison sentence
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook A B.C. man has been sentenced to four years in prison for a deadly stabbing in Whistler nearly four years ago. Dedaar Jhooty pleaded guilty to manslaughter last summer for an altercation on Aug. 14, 2021, that left Henry Stanley Garcia Molina dead. 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 Molina had been trying to get into a taxi outside the Bearfoot Bistro to go back to his hotel just before 2 a.m. when the he was stabbed. At the time of the killing, Molina's family described the 26-year-old as a kind-hearted man whose life was 'taken senselessly.' 'Henry's life did not deserve to be taken away so brutally. His loss has been the most painful thing that any parent has had to go through,' the family said in a statement. The BC Prosecution Service said that after credit for time served, Jhooty will serve an additional 42 months behind bars.
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
No records kept on assaults on B.C. health-care workers, despite daily incidents
Despite several unions and advocacy groups repeatedly raising the issue of violence in health-care settings, CTV News has learned that no policing or government agencies keep track of assaults or criminal charges. In trying to get statistics about the conviction rate for the rare charges laid against suspects who stand accused of assaulting health-care workers on the job, the Attorney General's office said a freedom of information request was required. However, that filing resulted in zero results because the JUSTIN criminal record-keeping system does not allow prosecutors to flag or categorize a case as relating to a medical professional. 'Even with the wealth of information that (JUSTIN) provides, it is unable to capture nuances in terms of offences, victims and accused, such as the scenario you are enquiring about,' wrote BC Prosecution Service communications counsel, Damienne Darby in an email. When CTV News asked if there were any plans to update the system to identify cases where medical providers – who are typically in a vulnerable position assessing or treating patients – are assaulted, she said that 'under our current fiscal pressures, this initiative, however worthwhile, is not something the BCPS could propose for prioritization.' In an email statement, the health minister insisted that 'ensuring hospitals are safe for staff and patients is a top priority of our government.' Josie Osborne went on to reveal that she has directed ministry staff to examine 'feasibility of putting in place AI weapons detection technology at emergency rooms – something many hospitals across Canada are now starting to consider.' Other solutions In 2022 the province announced it would be replacing guards hired from private companies to provide security at hospitals struggling with patients angry about pandemic health measures or otherwise displaying aggression. These 'relational security officers' were slow to be hired and trained, and they opposition claims they aren't certified to detain anyone who's disruptive or threatens patients and staff. 'They are not actually licensed to deal with the type of violence and the weapons that are actually coming into hospitals,' explained Elenore Sturko, a former RCMP officer and current Conservative critic for public safety. She's urging the provincial government to consider emulating Alberta's model of hospital safety after speaking with their public safety minister during a trip there over the weekend. 'Not every hospital, but in those high-risk hospitals, they actually employ peace officers,' Sturko said. 'So they have the higher level of training, and they do have the ability to intervene in violent situations.' She estimates the cost for B.C. to make that kind of change would cost each hospital another $1.5 million per year. Osborne insists that with 781 relational security officers hired in the past three years, they already 'have specialized training to prevent and respond to violent situations in hospitals, and are often required to use force, restrain and detain violent individuals as needed' and are licensed and trained to use handcuffs if de-escalation is unsuccessful. Violence takes its toll For years, frontline sources have expressed frustration to CTV News about the way administrators and law enforcement respond to assaults in the workplace. Doctors have found themselves in a position where they must physically restrain patients striking nurses, while it's not unusual for paramedics to be groped while tending to patients. Some walk away from the profession altogether, while others go on leave when the stress or trauma become too much. The BC Nurses' Union cites WorkSafeBC data that found 26 nurses a month were off the job due to violence in 2022, with that number soaring to 46 a month in 2023. Like much of Canada, B.C.'s health-care system has been grappling with emergency department closures and other service interruptions in recent years and struggling to recruit new staff to replace those taking early retirement or choosing to walk away due to burnout or abuse. Several tell CTV News retaining those experienced workers already on the job by making it safer would do more to keep them in the field, while sending a message to prospective recruits that their professions are both safe and sustainable.
Toronto Star
10-06-2025
- Toronto Star
Mountie charged with driving offences after B.C. crash
VICTORIA - An RCMP officer faces two charges under the Motor Vehicle Act after a crash in southeastern B.C. last Canada Day that left three people injured. The BC Prosecution Service announced that Const. Christopher Odgaard is accused of driving without due care and failing to safely execute a U-turn. The allegations come after B.C.'s police watchdog referred its investigation to the prosecution service for consideration of charges earlier this year. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Independent Investigations Office said in a statement in April that the officer conducted a U-turn on Highway 3 near Greenwood, B.C., setting off a crash with a vehicle that had four people inside. The office said one person in that vehicle was seriously hurt, while two others had minor injuries. The prosecution service says the charges were sworn against the officer in Grand Forks provincial court on Tuesday, and he's set to make his first court appearance on June 30. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.
