Sudden Death of Trail Man in Downtown Core
By Trail Champion
On Oct. 12, at 7:04 a.m., Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a report of a suspicious sudden death of a 39-year-old Trail man in the 1500 block of Bay Avenue, in Trail, according to RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
“Trail RCMP officers, with assistance from the RCMP Forensic Identification Section, conducted a thorough investigation into the man’s death. Officers learnt that just before 6 a.m., the man had climbed onto the roof of a building before he attempted to climb down a power pole to return back to the ground,” Wicentowich said.
“Officers suspect the man inadvertently made contact with the live wires attached to the power pole and was electrocuted. The man was likely killed immediately upon electrical contact and fell from the power pole to the ground.”
Wicentowich said the incident will be turned over the BC Coroner Service for further investigation.
“The 39-year-old Trail man was facing criminal charge in regards to a recent incident where he allegedly impersonated a doctor and stole items from the hospital on October 6, 2022, in Trail.”
We would like to thank the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue and EHS for their assistance, and everyone in the community who helped us bring this tragic incident to a conclusion.
Previous Coverage
On Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 8:40 p.m. frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a report of a 39-year-old Trail man allegedly breaking into locked offices and impersonating a doctor while inside the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, on Hospital Bench Road, in Trail, BC.
RCMP officers responded quickly to the ongoing incident and located the man still wearing hospital issue scrubs, coat, and hat at the scene of his alleged crimes. Officers arrested the man without incident; however, he attempted to break free of police custody twice while being escorted back to a marked police vehicle. The officers located two USB thumb drives on his person during a search incidental to his arrest that they believed to have been taken from the hospital.
Witnesses reported that the man went on a crime spree after causing considerable damage as he broke into offices and other secure locations inside the facility. The man was confronted by suspicious staff members and he responded by convince them that he was a doctor who worked at the hospital. When the staff did not believe his obvious ruse, he barricaded himself inside an office until the Trail RCMP arrived.
The 39-year-old Trail man was later released from police custody on several conditions. He will be closely monitored by police while in the community. He will face criminal charges on a future date in Provincial Court, in Rossland, BC.
Trail RCMP will forward the following criminal charges to Provincial Crown Counsel for review:
- Break & Enter with Intent to Commit an Indictable Offence contrary to Section 348(1)(b) of the Criminal Code
- Disguise with Intent contrary to Section 351(2) of the Criminal Code
- Identity Fraud contrary to Section 403(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
- Mischief under $5000 contrary to Section 430(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5000 contrary to Section of the 354(1) of the Criminal Code.
- Resist Arrest contrary to Section 129(a) of the Criminal Code
