Police investigating a vehicle-pedestrian collision at a party near Humboldt had beer bottles thrown at them for their efforts.
RCMP were called to what is commonly known as the annual "Niner Party" - an initiation party for those entering Grade 9 at Humboldt Collegiate Institute, though it is not associated with the school - after a girl was struck by a vehicle at about 1:30 a.m. on August 28. The party was being held on private land two miles southwest of Humboldt.
A truck, driven by an 18-year-old male from the Humboldt area, was proceeding on a trail over private land towards the party when it struck a female youth walking along the same path.
According to Const. John Gillis of the Humboldt RCMP, the trail was being used by both vehicles and pedestrians and there were also vehicles parked on both sides. It appears from their investigation that the girl was struck by the rear portion of the truck. She was then bounced into a parked vehicle nearby.
RCMP were notified of the collision and that the victim was in need of medical assistance. Humboldt and District Ambulance Service was also called to the scene, and members of the Humboldt Fire Department attended as well.
The girl received some medical treatment at the scene for her nonlifethreatening injuries. She was then taken to the Humboldt District Hospital for further treatment and was later released.
At the scene, RCMP members gathered statements from witnesses, getting a description of the offending vehicle. A short while later, they found the truck, but the driver was not in it.
The officers continued their investigation at the party to try and find the owner of the truck. However, the crowd was not happy with the police presence.
"They pelted our vehicles with beer bottles," Gillis reported. "One officer was hit with a beer bottle while he was standing outside a vehicle."
The thrown bottles caused some serious damage to the police cruisers. They smashed the windshield of one, and created a variety of dents in its sides.
The driver of the vehicle eventually came forward at the party, Gillis said, and statements were taken from both the driver and his passenger, an 18-year-old female, also from the area.
Charges - an alcohol ticket and one charge under the Traffic Safety Act - have resulted as a result of the investigation into this incident, against both the driver of the vehicle and the passenger.
Because the incident occurred on a trail on private land and not on a roadway, the charges that can be laid are limited, Gillis noted.
Meanwhile, RCMP are continuing their investigation into the matter of the thrown beer bottles. Anyone with any information on who may have thrown the bottles at the RCMP are asked to contact the Humboldt RCMP at 682-2535 or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
