Constable Scott Webb and Sgt. Ken Harrington assisted with the initial investigation. Two Oliver brothers now face charges.
Two brothers from Oliver are in custody and facing charges in connection with the August 11 car bombing incident on Earle Crescent.
One brother was also charged in connection with an incident that occurred shortly after the bombing, where a can of bear spray was discharged in the residence associated to the bombed car.
Investigators from Oliver and Penticton arrested 19-year-old Stephan and 23-year- old Eric Daoust without incident on Thursday, Oct. 24 as a result of the two-month long investigation. The pair face a charge of using explosives.
Initially, residents in the neighbourhood thought the blast was 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 the nearby damage of a homeowner’s garage and vehicle.
Officers examined the scene and determined that an improvised (homemade) explosive device had been placed and detonated under a vehicle parked in the alleyway between Okanagan Street and Earle Crescent. No one was injured in the blast, however, close examination of the vehicle and a nearby homeowner’s garage uncovered damage by flying shrapnel. The metal fragment had been found in the complainant’s garage after it was projected at a sufficient velocity to go through the outside wall, splinter through a 2×4 and end up inside the garage.
Stephan Daoust was also recently charged and convicted with assault with a weapon, break and enter, and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose relating to the bear spray incident on September 8.
“Our findings into the improvised explosive device incident and pepper spray assault indicate that the violence was targeted towards the young man who resided in the home where the car was damaged,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk. “All three knew each other and are long-time Oliver residents. It appears that the matter stemmed from a mutual longstanding dislike for each other. Luckily no one was seriously injured as a result.”
