LOOKYLOOS: Vernon police charge 3 drivers caught taking photos of fatal accident
While emergency crews were responding to a fatal collision in Spallumcheen, officers watched several drivers recording the scene on their phones.
Vernon North Okanagan RCMP handed out three distracted driving tickets to separate drivers while at the crash scene.
"It’s frustrating to have to deal with this; it’s unsafe and there’s absolutely no excuse for it," RCMP spokesperson Const. Chris Terleski said in a news release.
First responders were at a Highway 97A head-on collision where a 70-year-old man from Enderby died on July 12, around 11 a.m.
Police are investigating the cause of the accident, but it's known that the the Enderby man collided with a dump truck at the intersection of highways 97A and 97.
"First responders are at these scenes trying to help people, and we need your help so we can do our work safely. We don’t need anyone getting seriously injured or killed because someone wants to take a picture. It's an emergency scene and not a photo op so leave the phone alone," Terleski said.
Each of the three drivers was handed a $368 ticket for using a device while driving.
"One of those drivers was also sanctioned for failing to obey a peace officer’s direction," the release reads.
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