A 42-year-old man from Duncan who is well known to the police is facing charges of impaired driving, possession of an unregistered restricted weapon, refusing to provide a breath sample and dangerous driving, after a single-vehicle accident on Sooke Road.
Witnesses said the Jeep was travelling at excessive speed heading towards Sooke, and was swerving “all over the road” before hitting a hydro pole, knocking out a fence, and rolling into the ravine.
“So many calls were received on 911 it overwhelmed the South Island Operational Communication Centre,” Sgt. Jeff McArthur said. After a search of the area where the vehicle was resting, police found open bottles of alcohol and a loaded handgun.
Also in November:
•The EMCS senior girls volleyball team makes it to Island AA Island Girls Volleyball Championships for the first time in over 15 years. The girls finished seventh overall in the tournament.
•Sooke residents joined together to bring Christmas cheer to a local man who is unwell.
More than 30 people showed up outside the man and his wife’s house to sing. Melissa Brilling, who organized the carolling event, said she just wanted to brighten up the holidays for the elderly couple.
• The Sooke Philharmonic celebrates 20 years of making music, and founder Norman Nelson hopes this is only the beginning for the orchestra.
“I remember our first performance well. We played the first Beethoven symphony and we were lucky to get through it,” laughed Nelson. “Now 20 years later and we’re still having fun.”
The orchestra now has more than 60 members, and 12 of the original 14 musicians still perform with it today.