A truck drove by and towed a tent to Kelowna’s homeless encampment on the Rail Trail overnight. While it’s a quiet, peaceful Sunday morning at Kelowna’s downtown Rail Trail homeless encampment, the night was anything but. Shortly before midnight, a truck drove through the camp and ran over an occupied tent. Skid marks on the Rail Trail indicate that the tent was dragged about 100 feet, under the truck. Camp members tell Castanet that there were two people inside the tent at the time, but they believe the two people survived. A man staying at the camp, Brandon, said he heard screeching tires and shouting during the night. He says he ran to the truck, jumped into the back of it and banged on the windows, telling the driver to stop. Brandon says the driver seemed calm, but “kind of out of it.” Ambulances arrived and removed the people inside the tent, but those at the camp said they were told by police that the couple had survived the terrifying incident. Brandon says several campers made sure the driver stayed at the scene until police arrived. It is unclear if the driver was arrested. As of Sunday morning, the black Dodge Ram with Alberta plates remained at the scene, with the tent stuck under the passenger side. A tow truck picked up the truck about 8:30 a.m. while police cleared the mangled scene. Dozens of police evidence markers were scattered around the area, tracing the incident east along the rail trail. Based on the evidence, it appears that the truck entered the rail trail from Ethel Street. Several members of the camp expressed their concern over the disturbing incident. Brandon said he worries the incident is a case of anti-homeless sentiment simmering in the community. He says he’s heard rumors that he “hit them,” “just because they’re homeless.” Castanet contacted the Kelowna RCMP for more information about the incident.
