Brothers arrested in Oliver area bombing
By Contributor
Two brothers from Oliver BC, are in custody and facing charges in connection with the August 11 bombing incident in Oliver.
One of the pair was also charged in connection with an incident which occurred shortly after the bombing, in which a can of bear spray was discharged in the residence associated to the bombed car.
Investigators with the Oliver RCMP and Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen General Investigation Section arrested 19-year-old Stephan and 23-year-old Eric Daoust, without incident on Thursday (October 24) as a result of the two month long investigation.
The pair face a charge of using explosives under Section 81(1)(c) of the criminal code.
Our findings into both associated matters indicate that the violence was targeted towards the young man who resided in the home where the car was damaged. All three knew each other and are Oliver residents,” said RCMP Cpl Dan Moskaluk.
It appears that the matter stemmed from a mutual longstanding dislike for each other. Luckily no one was injured as a result.
The Oliver RCMP investigated the bombing incident after it initially went unreported for a day and believed by residents to have been a lightning strike.
Police became involved the following day when a resident came to the local RCMP office with a piece of metal shrapnel believed to be connected with nearby damage to a homeowners’ garage and a vehicle parked nearby.
RCMP officers attended and examined the scene and determined that an improvised (homemade) explosive device had been placed and detonated under a vehicle parked the residential alleyway between Okanagan Street and Earle Crescent in Oliver.
No one was injured in the blast however close examination of the vehicle and a nearby homeowner’s garage uncovered damage by the blast and flying shrapnel.
The metal fragment (18 cm x 5 cm x .5 cm) was found in the complainant’s garage after being projected and travelling at a sufficient velocity to go through the outside wall, splintering through a 2 x 4 stud and coming to rest inside the garage. Other reports had also been received of an explosion being heard at around 02:00 on the 11th of October.
Stephan Daoust was also recently charged and convicted with assault with a weapon, break and enter and commit indictable offence, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose in regards to the second associated incident where it was alleged that he broke into the home on September 8 and discharged a can of bear spray.
