On October twenty-eighth at 1752 hours New Westminster police patrol officers attended the river front boardwalk area, in the twelve-hundred block of Quayside Drive on reports of a male that had fallen into the Fraser River.

At scene, officers located the male as he floated in the river hanging on to a pillar that was connected to the dock. The male was conscious but cold. Officers were unable to reach the male however they immediately provided him with a personal floatation device and summonsed the New Westminster police boat.

The police boat arrived within minutes and officers were able to pull the male into the safety of the boat. The male was treated at scene for symptoms of hypothermia by Emergency Health Services and transported to Royal Columbian Hospital as a precautionary measure.

Witnesses to the incident advised police that the highly intoxicated male, a twenty-three year old Burnaby resident, was observed sitting on a railing with his back to the river when he suddenly slipped and fell in to the river.

Update to the tractor trailer roll-over incident on New Westminster’s Front Street. The incident occurred at 23:25 hours last night. The tractor trailer unit came in contact with a concrete barrier causing the vehicle to weave sharply and subsequently flip on to its side. The driver sustained minor injuries and fortunately no other motorist’s were involved. The cause of the incident is under investigation. Witnesses to the incident have been interviewed.

The tractor trailer unit was fully loaded with thirty thousand pounds of yogurt. The size of the load coupled with the tractor trailer units size have slowed progress for Front Street re-opening. Police and city engineering department crews remain on scene and are working diligently to open the roadway as soon as possible. In the meantime, all of Front Street will remain closed to traffic.

We do not anticipate Front Street to be open to traffic until 10:00 hours. We will however, advise the media as soon as we are able to establish the time of opening. We apologize to the motorist’s for any inconvenience this may cause.

On June 6, 2008, police responded to a report of a male that was assaulted by two suspects during a robbery attempt. The victim sustained serious facial injuries that consisted of fractured facial bones and lacerations. After a lengthy investigation by the New Westminster Police Major Crime Unit, two suspects have been arrested and charged for this serious assault. The accused, Douglas BULLEN, a twenty-one year old New Westminster resident and Joshua HILL, a twenty-three year old Surrey resident have been charged with Aggravated Assault, Robbery and Use of a Weapon during the commission of an offence. BULLEN and HILL knew the victim, this attack was not random. Major Crime Detectives are continuing with their investigation.

The Crown Counsels office has approved the additional charge of Section 244.2(3) Criminal Code of Canada, Discharge of a firearm while being reckless to the life of another person. Armanjot Singh DHILLION was to appear in court today on this and other firearms related charges however the appearance has been delayed and DHILLION remains in remand.

Section 244.2(3) became a new legislated law on October 2nd , 2009 just two days prior to the alleged date of DHILLIONS weapons charges. The penalty for this offence is a mandatory five years upon conviction.

Scott Andrew DUNCAN, a twenty-one year old New Westminster resident, has been charged with six counts of robbery. The accused is alleged to have committed five of the robberies in New Westminster at east side convenience stores and one robbery in Burnaby. The robberies occurred from September thirtieth to October twelfth. The accused produced a knife during some of the robberies.

Through the use of surveillance cameras and criminal intelligence information, photographs of the accused were distributed throughout police services. On Friday October sixteenth at 1620 hours, patrol Constable Judy Robertson observed a male matching the accused description walking in the three hundred block of Sixth Street. Constable Robertson arrested the suspect. Further investigation confirmed that DUNCAN was the accused sought in the robbery investigations. DUNCAN was held in police custody and appeared in Provincial Court on Monday October 19, 2009.

On October seventeenth, 2009, at approximately 0129 hours residents living in the 500 Block of Fourteenth Street were awoken when the door to their residence was forced open. Three male suspects entered and threatened the residents. One of the suspects discharged a firearm in the residence however, no one was injured. Within minutes, the accused left the residence and fled in a vehicle.

Residents living in the area immediately contacted the police advising of hearing the firearm being discharged and a description of the accused vehicle. Police searched the area. Several blocks away, Constable Carmel Keenan observed a vehicle matching the accused vehicle description travelling on McBride Boulevard. Police units attended to provide support. However, when the police attempted to stop the accused vehicle it fled driving over the Patullo Bridge heading towards Surrey.

The subsequent pursuit ended when the accused vehicle pulled over near the Scott Road SkyTrain Station.
Three male accused were arrested without further incidence. A loaded firearm was located inside the vehicle and seized as evidence. The accused are known to the victim residents.

Charged with Break and Enter, assault, and various weapons charges;

• Faryaz ALI , a thirty-seven year old Surrey resident
• Kristopher Richard MINO, a thirty-one year old Surrey resident and,
• Michael Jeffrey PLANTE, a twenty-five year old Surrey resident.

New Westminster Police are currently conducting an investigation involving a number of firearms which were seized from a residence in the 1000 block of 4th Avenue at approximately 3:00 PM today.

Seven persons were taken into custody at the residence, however, none have yet been charged so no names or other information are being released at this time.

On September 21, 2009, the New Westminster Police Service received a report of an incident that a victim had been exposed to the HIV virus by his ex-partner. Investigation revealed the accused had been informed by his physician that he was HIV positive and failed to disclose this information prior to engaging in unprotected sex with the victim. Twenty-one year old Jose FUENTES GONZALEZ (a.k.a. “Pepe”) has been charged with one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault and remains in custody until October 14, 2009.

The New Westminster Police Major Crime Unit request that any persons who may have had unprotected sex with Jose FUENTES GONZALEZ contact Detective Tina CHAN of the New Westminster Police Service at 604-529-2455. The New Westminster Police Service is concerned for the health and safety of the public and urge any potential victim to come forward so that appropriate health measures can be taken.

On October 4th at 0130 hours, the New Westminster police attended the 22nd street SkyTrain station responding to reports of a male suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. At scene, the victim was located and treated for non-life threatening injuries.

An extensive search of the surrounding area was conducted and a patrol officer located a handgun and a machine pistol in a nearby neighborhood. Evidence was gathered at the scene, investigators conducted extensive interviews with potential witnesses and, major crime detectives worked closely with patrol officers and criminal intelligence officers.

As a result, a nineteen year old New Westminster resident was arrested by police investigators at 1720 hours later that afternoon. The Crown Counsels office has approved the recommended charge of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, contrary to section 91(1) of the Criminal Code. Armanjot Singh Dhillon has been remanded in custody until October 21st, 2009.

Major Crime detectives continue their investigation. Additional weapons charges are being considered and potential suspect associates are being identified.

At approximately 7:30 this evening New Westminster Fire & Rescue Service requested the assistance of New Westminster Police to gain access to a male who had fallen into the Fraser River approximately 30 metres downstream from the Westminster Quay Public Market.

It was learned that the forty-five-year-old New Westminster man had been walking along the boardwalk when he apparently stumbled and fell into the river. When firefighters arrived they could see the man a short distance from shore and were able to throw him a life vest, however, they were not able to lift him back onto the boardwalk.

Two officers in the New Westminster Police boat were quickly able to locate the man and hoist him on board. He was subsequently returned to the police dock where he was transferred to an awaiting ambulance before being taken to Royal Columbian Hospital.

The man does not appear to have suffered any injury and it is believed that alcohol was a significant factor in this incident.

At 0130 hrs, the New Westminster police responded to a call received from Emergency Health Services (EHS) on report that they were responding to a male with a gunshot wound. The incident location was near the 22nd street Skytrain station. At scene, police and EHS located the injured male. The 20 year old New Westminster resident had an apparent gunshot wound to his right hand.

The male was transported to Royal Columbian Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. The 2200 block of Eighth avenue and surrounding area has been cordoned off by police investigators searching for evidence. Witnesses have been located and are currently being interviewed by members of the major crime unit. During area searches investigators located weapons, including a hand gun and a rifle that may be associated to this investigation. Forensic specialists are also at scene examining the area for evidence.

The male victim, whom is known to police, was treated for his injuries and has since been released from hospital. At this time it is not known if the victim was targeted by suspect(s). The New Westminster police investigation continues and requests that should anyone have information regarding this investigation to please contact our investigators at 604-525-5411