CKNW Vancouver News

Abbotsford 22-year-old charged with child porn offences

Laura Baziuk | Email news tips to laura.baziuk@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:39:00 GMT

A child porn arrest in Abbotsford.

Police say 22-year-old Sean Joshua LeBlanc now faces charges of possession and importing child pornography, as well as luring a person under the age of 16.

It's the culmination of a five-month investigation.

Police believe other victims could be out there, and ask them or anyone with information to come forward.

Man who killed girlfriend, left body in West Van park gets four years

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:38:00 GMT

A man who confessed to killing his homeless girlfriend in West Vancouver in 2009 has been sentenced to more than four years in prison.

Alexander La Glace stabbed Tammy-Lynn Cordone at least 15 times in the chest.

The 43-year-old woman's body was later found at Lighthouse Park.

La Glace initially claimed he was innocent, but later told undercover police he needed to kill Cordone because she was constantly “freaking out” about him leaving her by herself.

The man, who has a history of mental illness, was deemed fit to stand trial for second-degree murder.

He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in November.

He's been sentenced to four years and three months.

Prosecutors had wanted him to spend at least 10 years behind bars.

Canadian man missing in Mexico previously charged with drug offences

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:00 GMT

A Canadian man missing in Mexico had a troubled past.

Diego Hernandez recently faced drug charges on Vancouver Island.

Three years ago, the 22-year-old was arrested in Saanich and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

His trial was slated to start last October, but court officials in Victoria cannot yet be reached to confirm details of the outcome.

Police say Hernandez was not associated with any gangs in British Columbia.

Relatives in Coquitlam say the martial arts instructor and his business partner, 31-year-old Craig Silva of the U.S., disappeared May 8 in Puerto Vallarta and they're convinced he was kidnapped.

His aunt, Amanda Morales, says a lack of action by the Canadian consulate and Mexican authorities forced the family to alert the media.

Harper speaks out on Senate scandal

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:57:00 GMT

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has broken his silence on the latest scandal rocking the Conservative government involving the disallowed expenses of a prominent senator.

Saying “no government can be perfect,” Harper told his caucus in Ottawa before leaving on a trade mission to South America that he vowed to follow through on promises to change the Upper Chamber.

"Anyone who wants to us public office for their own benefit should make other plans or better yet, leave this room,” he said.

He did not mentioned Senators Mike Duffy or Pamela Wallin, who have resigned from the caucus over their expenses, or his now-former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, who gave Duffy $90,000 to cover the housing expenses he owed.

Says Harper: "Earlier this year, we asked the Supreme Court of Canada to rule on whether the reforms we have proposed can be accomplished by Parliament acting alone. We've also asked the court to rule on options for abolishing the Senate completely."

Young man dies in crash on First Narrows Bridge

Terry Bell | Email news tips to tbell@cknw.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:58:00 GMT

A crash on the Lions Gate Bridge has left a 27 year old man dead.

Vancouver Police say the motorcycle he was riding collided with an SUV shortly before 6 Monday evening.

The driver of the SUV cooperated with police.

The victim's name was not immediately released pending notification of his family.

The bridge re-opened to all traffic shortly before 11 p.m.

Emergency crews kept busy over long weekend

Martin MacMahon | Email news tips to martin.macmahon@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:48:00 GMT

No such thing as a holiday for marine search and rescue crews, who were kept busy over the long weekend.

Rob Duffus with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue says crews dealt with a collision underneath the Johnson Street Bridge in Victoria.

Then spent hours on Sunday near Prince Rupert responding to a mayday call which appears to have been a hoax. Things didn't let up on Monday, with a call to rescue an injured senior on Shuswap Lake, "It was faster to use our rescue vessel to get there than it would have been for an ambulance to try and get there on logging roads."

Duffus adds those spending time on the water should ensure they have the proper equipment and have safety training.

Abbotsford to face injection lawsuit

Martin MacMahon | Email news tips to martin.macmahon@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:38:00 GMT

A trio of illicit drug users is taking the City of Abbotsford to Court, claiming that city's Anti-Reduction Bylaw violates their charter rights.

Their lawyer Scott Bernstein with Pivot Legal Society says his clients need a safe injection site such as Vancouver's 'Insite' in their city, "That's what my clients are being denied, is access to clean needles as a health care system. There may be clean needles out in Abbotsford of people who are out flouting the bylaw, but it's more about having the infrastructure of a service."

Bernstein and his clients are holding a press conference Tuesday to formally announce the lawsuit.

Former MLA claims to have the answers for NDP loss

Martin MacMahon | Email news tips to martin.macmahon@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:31:00 GMT

The former Independent MLA for Cariboo-North has provided some thoughts on why the NDP failed to match the hype in this month's provincial election.

Bob Simpson says the NDP's base of voters is literally, "dying off," and says a major re-think is required for this Province to have a strong alternative to the BC Liberals, "They have a significant challenge and I think they have to really, fundamentally, either restructure themselves or get out of the way and allow some other progressive organization to come together and provide an alternative to the Liberal coalition."

Simpson says he believes Adrian Dix will soon be out as leader of the BC NDP, and now it just comes down to the timing.

Abbotsford Police investigating possible hit and run

Alison Bailey Email news tips to alison.bailey@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:02:00 GMT

Police in Abbotsford are asking that anyone with information about what appears to be a hit and run Monday afternoon be in touch with them.

Constable Ian MacDonald says a driver noticed a 39 year old South Asian man lying on the shoulder in the 1800 block of Peardonville Road around 5:30.

He says based on the information they have so far, it looks like the man was hit by a vehicle at around 5 or 5:15.

"We think that it's really likely that someone would have seen this gentleman out walking and maybe would have even observed a vehicle slow or stopped in that area of Peardonville Road."

MacDonald says the victim was wearing a white shirt and beige pants.

The man's injuries are not life threatening.

MacDonald says the man has indicated he was struck.

Police don't yet have a description of the vehicle.

If you have any information, call 604-859-5225 or text 222973 (abbypd)

27 year old man dead after collision on Lions Gate Bridge

Alison Bailey Email news tips to alison.bailey@corusent.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:42:00 GMT

A 27 year old man is dead after the motorcycle he was riding collided with an SUV on the Lions Gate Bridge this evening.

The man's name is not being released as his family hasn't been notified yet.

Vancouver Police say the driver of the SUV is cooperating.

The bridge is closed to vehicle and bus traffic.

Pedestrians and cyclists are still allowed to cross.