A man who pled guilty to possession of a restricted weapon was sentenced to 25 days in jail at the Ponoka provincial court on Friday, March 13.
Dolphus Buffalo had been in custody for six days, giving him 9 days credit. He will see another 16 days of incarceration.
On March 8 of this year, at approximately 1:45 a.m. an RCMP patrol observed a man stumbling down a Ponoka street.
Buffalo was approached by the cruiser and identified himself as Joey Buffalo.
The Crown told the court, according to the RCMP officer at the site, Buffalo was heavily intoxicated, swaying and drooling on himself.
Buffalo was informed he was under arrest for public intoxication and the officer asked him several times to remove his hands from his pockets. Once he finally did, a liquor bottle fell to the ground.
As the RCMP member kicked it to the side, Buffalo had put his hands back in his pocket, leading to several more requests to once again bring them out.
The member noticed the red label of OC spray — dog repellent spray — in the hand coming out of his pocket.
The court was informed by the Crown that the officer believed Buffalo’s thumb was on the nozzle and that he was in danger; resulting in Buffalo being taken down by the officer.
Resulting from a 2008 incident, Buffalo is already subject to a 12 year restricted weapon prohibition.
Duty council told the court Buffalo, in his intoxicated state, thought he was being asked to remove the items from his pocket and he had the spray because wild feral dogs are an issue on the reserves.
Over the last 14 years, Buffalo has had 39 convictions. There have been no charges relating to violent behavior post-2012.
Intoxicated man drives, dragging muffler
A man who pled guilty to driving without a license and driving over .08 was sentenced to a one-year driving prohibition and a $2,530 fine.
On April 4, 2014 Ponoka RCMP noticed a vehicle driving southbound on Highway 2 with sparks shooting from the back of it.
The vehicle’s muffler was dragging on the ground and when the member stopped the car, the smell of alcohol was permeating from its interior.
When asked, the driver, Garret Littlechild, 31, said he did not have his license.
There were multiple alcohol containers inside the vehicle and Littlechild failed the roadside test.
He was taken back to the Ponoka detachment and provided two breath samples at .29 and .27.
Littlechild also pled guilty on failing to appear, relating to the matter.
Failing to provide sample leads to criminal charges
After pleading guilty to failing to provide a breath sample, a woman was sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine and one-year driving prohibition.
On Jan. 25, 2015, RCMP spotted a vehicle on 51 Street in Ponoka, travelling with a broken taillight, a flat tire and a smashed windshield.
Driving was Corrine Saddleback, who admitted to driving that night but stated she would not provide a breath sample, even after the officer explained doing so could lead to criminal charges.
Saddleback told the court she was aware her tire had a slow leak the night of the incident but that she had not been aware of the taillight.
After pleading guilty, she also told the court she did not fully understand that not providing a breath sample that night, as opposed to a later time, would lead to criminal charges.