On track: Cowichan teen wins race before he’s old enough to drive page 18 On stage: Musicians ready to put the squeeze on Mural Town page 21 For all the news of the Cowichan region as it happens, plus stories from around British Columbia, go to our website www.cowichannewsleader.com Your news leader since 1905
Friday, August 10, 2012
Victims now identiÄed in motorcycle tragedy
Where’s Mo? Twenty years later, Shah’s grieving family still wonders
Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
W
ayne Atkinson has made a public plea on his Facebook page following the death of his girlfriend Sandra Dempsey, also known as Sandra Engstrom, Saturday night near Lake Cowichan. Dempsey, 48, was killed while walking her dog at the corner of Youbou Road and Neva Road after being struck by b a motorcym clist. “Please slow down and pay attention while w Sandra Dempsey: driving Facebook photo so another life is i not lost,’’ l ’’ urgedd Atkinson. Ak Atkinson and Dempsey had been in a relationship since 2008. Tributes to Dempsey are continuing to pour into both their Facebook pages. “I’m so very sad and sorry to hear this,’’ wrote Jamie Bell. “My prayers are with you.’’ The motorcyclist, identi¿ed as Arthur Barnard of Chemainus, 60, was also killed. A woman contacted at the Barnard family home declined comment. “Not at this time,’’ she said. An unidenti¿ed 49-yearold female passenger on the motorcycle from Duncan was taken to Cowichan District Hospital with undetermined Andrew Leong injuries, but reported to be in Lightning strikes in the Centennial Heights area of Duncan Tuesday as a rare thunderstorm rocked the valley. For more on the storm’s stable condition. more on page 6 effects, please see page three.
2012 Chevrolet Equinox
Peter Baljet
Reunion ride set: Local man still missing two decades after setting out for a bike ride near Skutz Falls Maeve Maguire
News Leader Pictorial
M
ohammed (Mo) Shah loved to ride his mountain bike around the Cowichan Valley. On Aug. 13, 1992, Shah rode up a track at Skutz Falls for what would be the last
time. Anne Khan, Shah’s sister-in-law, described what happened. “He parked his truck at Skutz Falls, visited with some friends, then took his bike out of his truck, put on his pack sack, and headed down the trail around 8:30 in the evening.” Shah hasn’t been seen since. His disappearance initiated nearly a month-long search, including a ¿nancial reward for anyone who could Mo Shah: help with the investigation. what happened? “One of Mo’s brothers posted a reward and it was left in effect for a while but nothing came of it so he took it down,”” Kh Khan said. id Shah’s family has never given up hope of ¿nding answers to what happened to him. Khan described what it is like to live with this tragedy. “It’s very stressful and upsetting to know our loved one is missing. We don’t know where he is and if he’s still alive or if he’s dead. What happened to him? Personally I think foul play was involved. That’s our feeling.” Mo’s love for mountain biking has inspired the family to organize the Walk/Ride for Mo Shah event. The public is invited to join Khan and the rest of Shah’s family and friends to ride a bike or walk the Trans-Canada Trail from Boundary Road in Lake Cowichan to Skutz Falls on Sunday Aug. 12, nearly 20 years to the day Shah disappeared. The group will meet at Boundary Road at 10:15 a.m. For those who can’t participate but want to support the family, there is a gathering at the Skutz Falls parking lot for the participants at noon. The event is likely to be an emotional one for family and friends. Khan and her husband — Shah’s brother — returned to Skutz Falls recently for the ¿rst time since Shah’s disappearance. more on page 6
Consumer’s Digest Best t Buy Just Got Better! % Starting at $26,445 with
0
Financing for 84 Months!
*price does not include $1,445,00 freight and PDI
ths!
6300 Trans Canada Highway, Duncan Sales & Service 250 746 7131 | Bodyshop 250 748 4370 | Parts 250 746 4466 | www.peterbaljetgm.com