An RCMP Incident in Fernie on January 15, 2026 escalated well beyond a routine “keep the peace” call, resulting in multiple criminal charges and one Fernie man being held in custody.
According to Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Elk Valley Regional RCMP officers were dispatched at approximately 2:26 p.m. to an address in the 1100 block of 1st Avenue in Fernie. Police were asked to assist a complainant who wanted to safely remove personal belongings from a residence following a disagreement with the homeowner.
“Keep the peace” calls are common and typically involve officers standing by to ensure everyone can leave safely. However, police say this situation quickly became volatile.
While the complainant was removing belongings, the homeowner—described by police as intoxicated—became verbally aggressive toward officers, yelling and swearing, and throwing small objects in their direction. Officers were initially able to de-escalate the situation through verbal interaction.
After the complainant departed and officers were returning to their patrol vehicles, the homeowner exited the residence and exposed himself to police while standing on the front porch. Police report the individual removed his pants, danced on the porch, bent over exposing himself further, and continued to throw items—including pieces of drywall—toward the officers as they attempted to leave.
As officers entered their vehicles, the man rushed one patrol car and struck its side window before turning to a second vehicle and smashing the front windshield with his fist, which was wrapped in his own pants.
Officers exited their vehicles and arrested the man for mischief. During the arrest, police say he threatened one officer, stating, “I am going to strangle you and watch you die.” A physical struggle followed, during which the man attempted to kick and strike the officers.
Additional officers were called to assist. The man was eventually handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, where he continued kicking the rear door hard enough to bend the door frame.
The man was transported to cells and lodged with the assistance of four officers. Police report he suffered self-inflicted injuries during the incident, which were treated by attending officers. No police officers were injured.
On January 16, criminal charges of mischief, obstruction, uttering threats to a police officer, and assaulting a police officer were sworn against Scott Bell of Fernie. Following a lengthy bail hearing the next day, Bell was remanded into custody and placed under the supervision of BC Corrections.
Fernie RCMP emphasized that while keep-the-peace calls are routine, this incident was highly unusual due to the level of aggression, property damage, and threats directed at officers.
Source: Elk Valley RCMP
