A man received a sentence of 14 days in custody at the Ponoka provincial court Friday March 20, after pleading guilty to attempting to steal hamburger patties from a local grocery store.
Ponoka RCMP was called to Hamilton’s IGA on Monday, March 16 due to the complaint about a man who had slipped the patties into his jacket.
Upon arrival, RCMP discovered the object of the complaint was James Anhorn, 57, of the Samson Cree Nation, known to members as a nuisance in town. He was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident.
It was a customer who made the complaint and when confronted, Anhorn handed over the hamburgers and was co-operative until police arrived.
Anhorn’s last shoplifting conviction was in 2012 when he received 30 days in custody. It was the same sentence the Crown sought in this matter.
Anhorn has been in custody since the Monday offence, and with eight days credited to his time he will remain there for another six days following his sentencing.
Possession of controlled substance
A man who pled guilty to three counts of possession of a controlled substance was sentenced to pay a $250 fine and an additional victim surcharge of 30 per cent.
For the offence, Jessy Godin had been offered alternative measures. However, he failed to act upon the opportunity and it was revoked and sentencing proceeded on March 20.
On Aug. 16 2014, a Ponoka RCMP member detected to odor of cannabis coming from another vehicle as it and the cruiser passed each other on the street.
The member pursued the vehicle, still smelling the odor, and performed a traffic stop.
Behind the wheel was Godin and a female passenger was observed putting something under her seat.
A strong odor could now be detected coming from the vehicle and the RCMP noticed Godin acting nervous. He was detained and arrested.
The passenger pulled an approximately six gram bag of marijuana from under the seat. Godin admitted it was his and that he and his girlfriend had consumed some recently.
Godin had no prior record.
Possession of illegal cannabis
A man was given a $250 fine with a 30 per cent victim surcharge after pleading guilty to five counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Tyler Gravelle was also given the opportunity for alternative measures but failed to act upon it.
On July 2 2014, at approximately 8 p.m., an RCMP officer on patrol on Highway 53 west of Ponoka was approached by an oncoming vehicle with mounted light bar with an intensity which seemed to exceed regulation.
The vehicle was stopped and in speaking with the driver, Gravelle, the RCMP officer could detect the odor of cannabis inside the vehicle.
At first Gravelle denied the smell but when the RCMP persisted he pulled out a hidden roach. A search of the vehicle produced more roaches, seven grams of cannabis, rolling papers and a grinder.
Gravelle had no prior drug record.
Impaired driver refused breath samples, sentenced
After pleading guilty for driving while impaired and refusing to provide a breath sample, a man was sentenced to a one-year driving prohibition and two $1,500 fines.
On Feb. 8, Ponoka RCMP received several complaints of erratic driving northbound on Highway 2 toward Ponoka.
The Crown Prosecutor told the court the gray Chevrolet pickup, driven by Austin Jones, was all over the road almost hitting the ditch and a guard rail.
The marked RCMP cruiser pulled up the truck and the member observed Jones behind the wheel, eyes almost shut, smoking a cigarette.
Parked on the Ponoka access was an SUV with a person beside it. The RCMP feared the Jones was going to hit the person and used the air horn several times to warn the person.
Once the vehicle was stopped, Jones was arrested and handcuffed. He was unsteady on his feet and belligerent.
Inside was a half empty 40 ounce bottle of alcohol and an empty mickey. The court was told Jones was one his way to Edmonton from a party in Calgary the previous evening. He was still intoxicated.
At the Ponoka detachment Jones refused to provide a breath sample, despite being informed refusing could lead to criminal charges.
In the detachment’s phone room, instead of calling legal aid, Jones first began working out and later was trying to sleep. He was placed in a cell to sober up.
In court, Jones disagreed with the facts he almost hit the ditch and guard rail. Judge G. Yake was informed the Crown would not rely on the facts excluding those two and sentencing proceeded.
“You’re lucky, fortunate, you didn’t kill yourself or anybody else,” said Yake.
“You’re very lucky you’re not one of those people who have hurt and killed somebody. Hopefully this will be a mistake you don’t repeat,” he added.
The charge of dangerous driving was dropped upon acceptance of the first two charges.