Police responded to a call of an armed robbery Oct. 6 at 7:54 p.m. A native man with a partially covered face entered a downtown bar, wielded a knife and stated he was robbing the bar.
An undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the premises. After reviewing the security tape, Mounties recognized the man and located him the next day at his residence in Hobbema. After a minor scuffle with police he was arrested.
Michael Gibot, 52, has been charged with robbery, uttering threats, disguise with intent, and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. He is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 12.
Suspended driver returns to court
A 22-year-old man from Bentley must pay fines totalling $2,400 after leaving the Ponoka courthouse Oct. 5 while unauthorized to drive.
On June 28 the man was charged with driving while impaired and was suspended from driving. He was set to appear in court Oct. 5, but on Sept. 20 the man was stopped in town for driving while suspended. His parents’ vehicle was seized for 30 days.
After pleading guilty to driving while impaired and being fined $1,400, the man left the courthouse and proceeded to drive away in a different vehicle.
He was stopped by police and arrested for driving while disqualified. He was returned to the courtroom the same day to face the same judge. He was fined another $1,000 and is prohibited from driving in Canada for one year.
His parents’ other car has been seized for 30 days.
Impaired drivers over the week
The first of the impaired drivers was on Oct. 3 at 10:30 p.m. A 36-year-old man from Wetaskiwin was stopped on 53 Avenue in town and provided blood alcohol samples of .16 and .15.
The second was during a Check Stop in Ponoka on Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. A 47-year-old woman from Hobbema tested just over the legal limit with readings at .10 and .09. In addition to the charge of impaired driving, she was also charged with obstruction as she gave Mounties a false name.
Also on Oct. 4 near Highway 2A and 50 Street a man tested with a blood alcohol level of .16 and .14.
Ponoka RCMP initially stopped a Highway 2A northbound vehicle travelling at 134 km/h in a 100 km/h zone Oct. 5 at 2:30 a.m. A 31-year-old woman from Hobbema tested with a blood alcohol level of .13 and .11.
The fourth person charged was a 19-year-old man from Ponoka who tested with a blood alcohol level of .16. He was stopped on Highway 2A and 51 Street on Oct. 6.
A 52-year-old man from Hobbema has been charged with impaired driving and refusal to supply a breath sample Oct. 7 at midnight. Stopped on Baker Road and Range Road 432, members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit requested a breath sample but he refused.
Prescription fraud
A 29-year-old man from North Battleford, Sask. faces a charge of uttering a forged document Oct. 7. The man entered a drugstore and produced a prescription for Tylenol 3. The pharmacist noticed the amount of the drugs requested was changed, police were called and he was arrested. He was also in possession of a knife and was on probation not to carry sharp items. He was charged with breach of probation.
Outdoor arena glass smashed
Some glass at the Scott Seaman outdoor rink next to the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex was shot and smashed overnight of Oct. 3. Police are looking for a youth who was seen on video surveillance walking away from the rink with a pellet gun.
Put it in park before you pee
A man had to call a tow truck to pull his vehicle out of the ditch Oct. 8 after he pulled over to relieve himself. The vehicle was in neutral and it rolled forward into the ditch before he could stop it.
BB gun damages home
A Morningside youth has been charged with mischief after firing a BB gun at a neighbour’s home Oct. 6 at 7:45 p.m. He was released with a promise to appear in court.
Tractor fire
Ponoka firefighters and police responded to a tractor fire Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. on 48 Avenue and Cemetery Road. A baler caught fire and the driver moved the tractor and baler away from the home and hay before the fire spread.
If you have information on any crime call Ponoka RCMP at 403-783-4472 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.