News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

Tl’etinqox-t’in (Anaham) community leaders have issued a warning to the government and the general public of a looming crisis in the Chilcotin. According to Chief Joe Alphonse, "We believe moose populations are crashing at an accelerated rate and are fearful that if immediate action is not taken we will be seeing a total elimination of a species within this region."

"We are not sure what the problem is whether it’s a lack of scientific evidence needed by Provincial Government employees or a lack of political will by the Provincial Liberal Government or a combination of both to acknowledge the crisis and implement policy change to assist the floundering moose population."

Just before 3:00am today, residents in a home on Tenth Avenue awoke to a loud crash in their front yard, which they first thought was a tree landing on their home.  Upon closer inspection, they found a newer model white Chevrolet Silverado embedded in their lawn.

The pick-up had been travelling north on Johnson Street at what must have been a very high rate of speed.  The driver failed to stop for the stop sign, crossed Tenth Avenue at the 'T' intersection and when the front tires of the truck connected with the roadside curb, the front of the vehicle became slighlty airborne.  The truck struck a four-foot tall retaining wall and came to rest a few feet from the front steps of the home.

The Williams Lake Fire Department was called to the scene of a vehicle fire at the brake check on Highway 97 North at about 5:45 this evening. 

When our photographer arrived on scene, the 90's model Dodge extended cab pick-up was already fully involved.  One witness removed a fire extinguisher from his own vehicle, but the fire was too big to attack, at that point. 

The horn of the pick-up became stuck on, windows exploded and there were various other popping sounds and  small explosions.  The stench from the smoke was acrid.

Williams Lake RCMP state that Davey Auger is no longer missing, and was at the RCMP detachment this afternoon.

It was reported to the public on January 18 that the 15-year-old was missing and RCMP appealed to the public for information about his location.

Police say that although they are not sure at this time why he did not come forward earlier, the main thing is that he is safe.

January 28

Intoxicated female

The RCMP stopped a female who exhibited symptoms of impairment.  She provided a sample of breath on an approved screening device which failed.  The female was taken to the detachment where she refused to provide further samples of her breath. She was charged with the refusal and released on a Promise to Appear. 

Williams Lake Indian Band (“WLIB”) and Mount Polley Mining Corporation (“MPMC”) today announced the conclusion of a Participation Agreement. The historic agreement addresses issues in relation to WLIB’s assertion of title and rights in the area in which MPMC operates, and establishes a cooperative and mutually respectful working relationship which will allow both parties to meet their respective obligations and protect their rights, values and interests.

There was a minor collision this afternoon on the road to Mount Timothy between a School District #27 school bus carrying students from Cataline Elementary School and a car. An adult passenger on the bus states that the accident was caused by the icy road conditions. “The bus driver did everything possible to avoid the accident and was driving very slowly and carefully—the bus slid around the corner and struck the front end of the oncoming vehicle.”

"The road was so slippery that when the driver of a pickup following the bus stepped out to see if she could help, she slipped on the ice on foot. It was reported that it took a while to untangle the two vehicles: the car was stuck in a snow bank and the bus was stopped across the road."

This eye-witness states that the students were transferred to another bus and are on their way back to Williams Lake ‘safe and sound.’

In response to our article about a bus crash on Mount TImothy Road a few minutes ago, School Superintendant, Diane Wright, has just called Got News Network Inc. and stated that the bus 'had some problems' on the road.  She said it was a 'slight slippage', and that there are no injuries and no other vehicle was involved.

The bus is on it's way now and will stop at a restaurant in Lac La Hache, where a school district mechanic will meet them and check the bus.

The bus will continue to Williams Lake; it will just arrive later than expected.

"I just talked to a parent who was driving behind the bus," said local mom,Tina Benedet. "Nobody was hurt from either the bus or the vehicle. The bus is on route back to town. The parent I spoke to did not see it because she was behind the bus, but did say the road was very, very icy and slippery."  Tina's children are scheduled for the same trip next week.

** Updated at 23:59pm

We have eye-witness reports that a school bus has just struck a car on the road to Mount Timothy on the way back from a Williams Lake school trip. The eye witness describes it as having 't-boned the car'.

There are no reports of injuries to anyone on the school bus.

More information as it becomes available.

A Williams Lake resident said that he had contact with ‘missing’ teen Davey Auger yesterday afternoon – or at least someone using Davey Auger’s Facebook account. The adult male said that Davey ‘sounded’ alive and well.

“His mom’s been in contact with him on Facebook, and on one of the posts I suggested that maybe the RCMP could track him through his Facebook profile,” he said. “Davey, or whoever is accessing his Facebook account, took offense to this and basically told me to mind my own business, just not in those words.” Since then the communication has completely degraded and open threats have been made to the gentleman.

(Photo:  Part of a screen shot of the man's 'conversation' with Davey Auger or someone using Davey Auger's Facebook account yesterday afternoon.  The balance of the comments were removed to protect other posters' privacy.)