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Local resident killed following early morning Stettler-area rollover

Staff reporter

An early morning single-vehicle rollover north of Highway 850 near Stettler has claimed the life of a 36 year-old male from the Rimbey area.

The fatality, which was reported at approximately 2:30 a.m. on the morning of Monday, Sept. 8, occurred on Secondary Road 17-5 near the village of Red Willow approximately one and a half kilometres north of the highway.

“At that time we located a vehicle that had left the roadway to the east of 17-5 and had unfortunately rolled and the lone male occupant, a 36 year-old from the Rimbey area, unfortunately was thrown from the vehicle,” said Corp. Terry Best of the Stettler RCMP.

As a result of their investigation, Best said it is believed the driver of a 1990 Chevrolet pick-up truck lost control of the vehicle and rolled into the east ditch ejecting the driver.

While he would not confirm it, Best said it was likely the driver was not wearing his seatbelt and added that alcohol may have played a role in the incident.

“That’s something that we’re checking on, but it would appear to be the case, however we haven’t been able to determine that one way or another for certain, but that would appear to be the case,” Best said of the use of seatbelts.

“We’re still checking on whether alcohol was involved but we can say the unfortunate deceased had been socializing,” he added. “We’re not sure yet to what extent and are still determining whether or not that would be a factor and is something that we’ll wait for in a report from the medical examiner.”

If their suspicions of the involvement of alcohol and the lack of seatbelts being used are confirmed, Best said there’s been plenty of publicity on both factors urging drivers to avoid one while using the other.

“We continue to promote it and certainly our hope is at the end of the day everyone will get the message and chose not to drink and drive. There are so many other options that are available, however with everything else, there still appears some segment of the population who want to continue to do that,” Best said adding they also urge the public to buckle up when driving.

“Again, it’s another one of the ones that we as police-not only us but all the other municipal forces in the province-spend a lot of time trying to educate the public on doing it. Seatbelts do work and unfortunately they aren’t always used and sometime it ends in a fatalities as the result of a collision in this manner or similar manners,” Best said. “I just hope that everybody that is out and about on the highways don’t drink and drive and certainly make use of the seatbelts. They are effective and they do work.”

Also attending the scene were members of the Stettler Regional Fire Department and Stettler Emergency Services.

The investigation is continuing and the name of the deceased is being withheld at the request of the family.

Rimbey RCMP seeks public’s assistance

The Rimbey RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in regards to a break and enter that occurred at a business located on the Simpson Road in the past two weeks.

On Sept. 9, the Rimbey RCMP received a call from a local business manager who advised police that his commercial lot had been entered and items were stolen.

Members attended the scene and during a subsequent investigation, found that the culprit or culprits had driven onto an adjacent filed and cut barbed wire strands of the tall security fence that surrounded the business.

Once the wires were cut, entry was made into the compound that contained oilfield equipment along with a few buildings, which were forcefully entered causing considerable damage. As well, electronic equipment was stolen.

Police are asking anyone who may have information on this crime to contact the Rimbey Detachment at (403) 843-2223 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

The Rimbey RCMP is continuing their investigation.