Island style: Handbag creations inspired by woman’s late cousin page 15 On stage: The real reason why Colin James loves visiting the valley page 19
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Wednesday, November 13 , 2013
Duncan boy dies outside arena
Road rage erupts in Timmy’s drive-thru
Cause unclear: Family waiting for answers as tragedy strikes young hockey fan
Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
Peter W. Rusland
an I have some road rage with my double-double, please? A case of butting in to the drive-thru at Mill Bay’s Tim Hortons Thursday ended with the driver of a brown Integra — now sought by Shawnigan Lake RCMP — allegedly swinging a sledge hammer to vent his anger on the driver of a pickup truck, police say. “We get a lot of driving complaints, and some are road rage incidents — drivers fingering each other — but to this extreme? No,” Cpl. Jason Kerr said. “This was definitely up there, and it all happened on the travel portion of the highway.” Charges could include mischief for damaging a vehicle, and possession of a weapon, he said, noting the Integra’s license-plate number was unknown. The alleged criminal coffee klatsch happened Thursday at around 8:30 a.m. when two drivers had a disagreement in Timmy’s drive-thru. “The dispute was over who was to proceed next in the line up,” Kerr’s release reads. One driver was operating a blue Ford truck, the other was behind the wheel of an older brown Acura Integra. more on page 4
than Kroffat had a funny feeling when twin brother, Caleb, walked out Cowichan Arena’s back door Friday night. It was the last time he would see Caleb alive. The brothers were usually inseparable, but Ethan, 11, was pumped about getting a Zamboni ride between periods of the hockey game between the Cowichan Capitals and Victoria’s Grizzlies. “I had a bad feeling after he went out the door,” Ethan said of the brother just three minutes older. “I didn’t think anything of it.” Sadly, Caleb died of unknown reasons after rounding the arena’s northeast corner, then collapsing near the Grizzlies’ bus at about 8:25 p.m. The driver, a local doctor, and Sa- Caleb Kroffat: maritan Colin Plant, tried to revive eleven an unconscious Caleb, but to no avail. Plant said arena and Caps’ staff were also “on it,” scrambling to get paramedics on scene. “I just was a person giving CPR. When I arrived on scene he was getting chest compressions,” Plant told the News Leader Pictorial Monday. The Grade 6 pupil at Drinkwater elementary, and peewee defenceman in Cowichan’s minor hockey league, died later in Cowichan District Hospital. “Doctors and nurses worked for 45 minutes, hoping they could bring him back,” said Caleb’s mom, Renee. Police are investigating exactly what happened, but say the death does not look suspicious. B.C.’s coroners service is also determining what killed Caleb. Despite official findings, Renee says her active son had no known medical problems — and there were no signs Caleb had been beaten. “I think he must have fallen and hit his head,” she surmised, noting some head protection offered by Caleb’s furry, thick Russian-style hat. It’s prominently displayed in the mourning clan’s family room near Duncan. They’re grateful to people who tried to help Caleb in the parking lot, as Renee, Caleb’s dad Jason, and Ethan were inside, enjoying the game. Jason went for hot chocolate. Then an upset friend rushed up and told Renee to come outside. more on page 7
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News Leader Pictorial
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Andrew Leong
A man had to be cut from his car after an accident in Crofton Tuesday morning. North Cowichan’s South End firefighters assisted the Crofton fire department in removing the roof of this Hyundai sedan following a single-motor vehicle incident on Osborne Bay Road. The accident occurred just north of Escarpment Way, at approximately 9:30 a.m. According to Crofton fire chief Lee Burridge, rescue crews were concerned the driver may have suffered spinal cord injuries.
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