kamloopsthisweek.com kamloopsthisweek kamthisweek
JULY 10, 2019 | Volume 32 No. 55
NEW ERA FOR STORM
ALL HAIL THE RIDES?
Junior B hockey club no longer owned by Barry Dewar
Ride-hailing on the way to B.C., but with some restrictions
Chance of showers High 24 C Low 16 C
NEWS/A5
SPORTS/A18
Driver who killed motorcyclist gets absolute discharge
PATHWAY PROVES POPULAR
MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com
The family of Brian Watson, a Shuswap man run down and killed while riding his motorcycle near Chase three years ago, is angry after learning the man who struck Watson with his truck has been released from custody without any courtimposed conditions. Raymond Edward Swann, 58, has been granted an absolute discharge by the B.C. Review Board following a psychiatric assessment to determine his risk to re-offend. In February, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Dev Dley ruled Swann could not be held criminally responsible for killing Watson due to a mental disorder. Watson, 60, was killed while riding on Squilax-Anglemont Road on April 3, 2016. “I am speechless at this point,” Watson’s wife, Ila Watson, told KTW in an email regarding the B.C. Review Board’s decision. “We have had to go through hell the past three years being hopeful justice would prevail.” In April, Dley ordered Swann to undergo a risk assessment before receiving a disposition from the B.C. Review Board.
JESSICA WALLACE
STAFF REPORTER
jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
Xget’tem’ Trail is on pace to become one of the city’s busiest paths. In the first three months of 2018, the 1.5-kilometre paved multi-use trail, which opened in November, saw nearly 19,000 visits. Staff are projecting 100,000 to 120,000 annual visitors by the end of the year, when factoring in warmer weather. “That trail now is one of the most widely used pathways in the city,” City of Kamloops parks and civic facilities manager Jeff Putnam told KTW. “It’s been a huge success.” The city tracks usage of 14 trails throughout Kamloops with EcoCounter devices that utilize infrared technology to count people. The devices blend into the natural environment and are placed in hidden locations near the top or bottom of trail heads. The devices provide data to the city that is used to better understand the maintenance needs of city parks. However, Xget’tem’ Trail’s Eco-Counter system is unique in that it differentiates between pedestrians and cyclists. Putnam said those stats will help the city with future urban planning. See XGET’TEM’, A6
NI S S AN
RIVE
ISSAN R CITY N
NOW
The review board rendered its decision on June 28, stating it had concerns and was left with unanswered questions — noting it was still a mystery whether Swann intended to collide with Watson, believing he was a threat, or whether in his confused state he simply didn’t see him on the road. The fact no neuropsychological testing was done to rule out or confirm a cognitive disorder, the rarity of someone having a rapid onset of symptoms at Swann’s age and the randomness of the incident were noted concerns. “It was of particular concern that Mr. Swann acted out against a seemingly random target so soon after the onset of his psychosis; there is no evidence that the victim was an identified target,” reads the board’s reasons for disposition. The Crown stressed that without definitive evidence of Swann’s intentions, the review board can have no confidence it won’t happen again. In making its decision, the board relied on the testimony of a Dr. Sunette Lessing — a courtappointed psychiatrist who was one of four experts who testified during the trial. See PSYCHIATRIST, A6 D#30150
TODAY’S WEATHER
WEDNESDAY
SA LES EVENT OFFER ENDS JULY 31ST *See Dealership for Details
2405 Trans-Canada Hwy. Kamloops 250-377-3800 · RiverCityNissan.com