A man has another 114 days of jail time after pleading guilty at Ponoka Provincial Court Friday, Jan. 15 to assaulting a Greyhound bus driver on Highway 2.
Crown prosecutor Steve Degen told the court that members of the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit were called Dec. 2 to deal with an individual, identified as Clinton McGeough, who was running around on the highway. EMS attended the scene, said Degen, where they found passengers and the bus driver restraining McGeough.
Witnesses stated that McGeough said he was having a heart attack and then attacked the bus driver while he was in control of the bus. The driver acted quickly and fended off McGeough then pulling the bus over on the highway.
“This could’ve been certainly a lot worse than it was had the driver not been able to respond,” said Degen.
He suggested the aggravating factor in the incident was the attack on the driver while transporting passengers. McGeough also pleaded guilty to obstructing a peace officer and being in possession of a controlled substance. Investigations showed that McGeough had taken cocaine prior to the incident.
When asked by Judge James Glass if he had anything to say, McGeough apologized for his actions. “I’m thankful that nothing worse happened,” said McGeough.
He added that he hopes to turn his life around to change the cycle of drug use and is looking into rehabilitation.
Degen, using a joint submission with the defence, suggested a total of 180 days jail time for the assault charge, and 30 days concurrent to the 180 days, for the obstruction and possession charges. McGeough was given time and a half credit for his 66 days in jail leaving him with another 114 days.