After being caught sleeping in the Prairie Boys Truck and Car Wash parking lot, with evidence of having siphoned gasoline there, a man with a long history of property offences has been sentenced to six months plus one day in jail and a $2, 875 fine plus a victim surcharge fine.
On July 19, 2014, Ponoka RCMP received a complaint of a suspicious male in the business’s parking lot siphoning gasoline.
Upon arrival the RCMP member noticed a vehicle with a hose hanging out of it and Chase Dowson sleeping in the front of a Ford Explorer, which was not registered to him.
Once woken, Dowson provided false identification. As he was removed from the vehicle a crack pipe fell out and a later search of the vehicle found crystal meth, drug paraphernalia, stolen items and more than 10 cell phones.
It was later discovered, after giving his proper identification, Dowson had a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest and was also a suspended driver.
At 30 years old, Dowson has 29 offences of stolen property, among other criminal offences. He has also had a drug problem since his early youth.
Man charged for resisting arrest
Jeffrey Hallman has been placed under probation for 12 months with terms including keeping the peace and reporting to a probation officer based on the charges against him stemming from an incident on April 22, 2012.
Hallman was caught by police walking down the middle of Highway 2 on that day while in an agitated state. Upon arrest he gave his name but had no identification on him. Before being put in a constable’s car, it was noted in court, he moved toward the constable, forcing him step back onto the highway. This caused him to be forced to the ground and later he was charged with resisting arrest.
Hallman agrees he was upset during the incident but does not believe he made any movement toward the constable.
Following the incident Hallman was placed in the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury for a mental assessment. After 10 days, he was released with no further mental care needed and labeled under a cannabis-induced psychosis during the highway event.
Since then Hallman curtailed his marijuana use, moved into his own home and has steady employment.
Prior to the incident Hallman had no criminal record.
Impaired driver on one-year probation
William Storkson, 24-year-old Ponoka resident, has been given a one-year probation and must pay a $1,300 fine, plus a victim surcharge fine after being convicted for the charge of driving over the legal limit.
On June 21, 2014, Ponoka RCMP was advised of an impaired driver. Once caught, Storkson was asked if he had been drinking and responded his last drink had been eight hours prior to being stopped.
However, a strong odor of alcohol permeated and RCMP noticed what appeared to be vomit on the driver’s side door.
Breath samples of 0.18 and 0.19 were given.
Storkson admitted he used alcohol to self-medicate and had no criminal record before the offence.