By Jasmine Franklin
Bail has been denied to one man charged with two counts of assault and one count of uttering threats after two violent altercations.
Daniel Soosay, 53, was living at the Ponoka Stampede Inn with his common-law spouse, Johannah Ermineskin, when it is alleged he violently assaulted her on two separate occasions.
On Dec. 18, court heard Soosay punched Ermineskin in the legs and threw her to the ground; this Dec. 11 incident went unreported until another night of violence struck.
On Dec. 16, RCMP were called around 9:30 p.m. and court heard Soosay punched her and held her to the floor by her throat claiming he was going to kill her before anyone else does.
Police say the two had been drinking during both occasions.
Because Soosay has a criminal record related to alcohol abuse and violence that dates back to 1975, he was denied bail because he is a danger to re-offend and the judge believed he would not be able to comply with terms of his release such as having no contact with Ermineskin and not to consume alcohol.
Soosay claims Ermineskin started the altercation and he was trying to defend himself. He is to appear in court Jan. 8 to enter a plea.
Caught green-handed
Two men will enter pleas on Jan. 8 after being jointly charged with a number of drug-related charges.
Keith Hansen, 21, and Tyler Ravnsborg, 21, both of Ponoka, have been charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking, producing a controlled substance and possession of money from the proceeds of crime under $5,000.
They are expected to enter their pleas in court Jan. 8.
Butcher-knife threat
After a domestic incident involving a butcher knife and threats, a man will return to court Jan. 8 for his fifth appearance.
Joshua Howse, 21, is charged with three counts of assault — one with a weapon — and a breach of conditions for a previous conviction.
On Dec. 18 court heard that RCMP were called to a home in Ponoka about 3:30 a.m on Oct. 25 following complaints of a fight. Allegedly, Howse and Amber Potts were at a bar in Ponoka and came home where the two began to argue. Police say the argument escalated and Howse pushed Potts. Potts pushed Howse and called the father of her children, Darius Dennis, to come remove the children so they weren’t present for the fight.
When Dennis arrived, he and Howse argued and Dennis alleges Howse pulled out a butcher knife and threatened to chop him up with it.
Howse will reappear in court Jan. 8.