New Year's Eve on southern Vancouver Island saw everything from a fight that sent a man to hospital with serious injuries to a vandalism "rampage" involving a Nanaimo school.
Victoria police received 140 calls for service, with 21 people arrested overnight and into the morning.
The majority of the weekend's calls were prompted by alcohol abuse and related house parties, Const. Mike Russell said.
In the most serious incident in Victoria, a 17 year old View Royal youth was arrested after a fight involving a weapon that sent another young man to hospital.
Victoria police responded to a 911 call about a fight on Cook Street near Hillside Road about 12: 30 a.m. Sunday. A 23 year-old Victoria resident was treated by paramedics and rushed to hospital with serious internal injuries, said Victoria Const. Mike Russell. The victim underwent surgery and is expected to recover.
The first call Victoria police received on New Year's Day involved an alleged drunk driver in Esquimalt.
The 35-year-old Esquimalt resident was arrested with a blood-alcohol level that police said was more than double the legal limit, police said.
Traffic-section officers were called to the intersection of Lampson and Wordsley streets at 12: 04 a.m. after a witness from a nearby residence called police to say an extremely intoxicated man had just driven from the area in a 2007 Dodge Caravan.
Officers pulled over a vehicle at Esquimalt Road and Lampson Street. The driver was taken into custody, but released pending a future court date.
In Saanich, there were at least nine arrests related to New Year's Eve, Staff Sgt. Mark Muth said. "It was a very busy night."
The mayhem started about 6: 30 p.m. Saturday with a fight involving a baseball bat at McKenzie Avenue and Borden Road.
Two males - an adult and a youth - were taken into custody. The pair face charges of possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, Muth said.
A shed fire in the 3200 block of Shelbourne Street, reported at 12: 35 a.m. Sunday, is also considered suspicious, Muth said.
In Nanaimo, Woodbank Primary School was the central target in what police called a "rampage" in the neighbourhood of Woodbank and Storey roads.
One suspect, a youth, was arrested and later released to his parents. Police are investigating and suspect up to five others were involved. "There's thousands and thousands of dollars [in] damage," Nanaimo RCMP Sgt. Marc Pelletier said. "It's going to cost the taxpayer a pretty penny to get all that fixed."
About 1: 30 a.m. Sunday, windows were smashed and fire extinguishers were sprayed throughout the school. New glass was being installed by contractors Sunday while police officers searched for clues.
The suspects later tore up neighbourhood lawns and properties. They broke a garage door, pulled up an irrigation system, smashed cars and pulled down Christmas displays, police said. "They went on a rampage," Pelletier said. "They were terrorizing the neighbourhood."
A watchful neighbour kept an eye on the suspects as they fled and helped lead police to the arrested suspect.
New Year's Eve is typically one of the busiest days of the year for police, behind Canada day and Halloween.
Last year, there were 114 calls for service on New Year's Eve through New Year's Day, with 25 individuals arrested, Victoria police said.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
