A man has pled guilty to assault and was sentenced to probation and heavy fines after accidentally punching someone over a balcony railing last year.
On April 11, 2013, Michael Carson attended a house party where another intoxicated male attempted to pick a fight with him. Because the man was so intoxicated, when Carson hit him once, he lost his balance and fell over the railing, scraping and bruising his head and damaging his tailbone.
The Crown felt, looking at Carson’s previous record that includes assault and jail time, that he was an escalating offender.
Defense counsel told the court that in the time since the incident Carson has stopped drinking, regularly attends counseling, has steady employment, has become a devoted father to two children, is now living in Ponoka and has changed his peer group.
Counsel urged the court to look at the positive changes Carson has made and said jail time was not necessary.
“See how the progress of my life is now, the positive impact on society, the feeling is great,” Carson told Judge J.D. Holmes.
He added he had been in denial in the past, but after seeking help his eyes were opened to the troubled path his life was heading down. “I’ve devoted myself to being a devoted father . . . I accept any punishment that’s handed to me today.”
Judge Holmes says he does not condone street fighting and at the same time the other man’s actions contributed to the outcome. He felt it was a difficult case to sentence because of the prior record and the positive preliminary report. “So that has a considerable amount of weight with me.”
Carson was handed a $1,000 fine. Verdict also included a two-year probation to keep the peace and keep appropriate contact with a probation officer. He also consented to random testing and must abstain from alcohol and unprescribed drugs.
Impaired driver takes responsibility in court
After being caught driving while impaired, a Sylvan Lake man faces the mandatory one-year driving prohibition and $1,000 fine.
On Oct. 4, 2014, Robert Mehle, 34, was pulled over on 50 Street Ponoka for a burnt out headlight. The officer on patrol explained the situation but smelled alcohol on Mehle’s breath, who admitted to having two or three beers earlier that day.
Mehle failed the breathalyzer test with 0.10 and 0.11 blood alcohol levels.
“I should have never have been behind the wheel of that truck . . . I did wrong and I’m here to deal with it,” said Mehle, who put in his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity he had.
Disqualified driver sentenced
After pleading guilty to driving while disqualified, a man saw his speeding charges dismissed and he was sentenced to multiple court orders and time in detention.
Kyle Pickup, 31, while driving a Hyundai, was behind the steering wheel of one of two vehicles simultaneously stopped for travelling at speeds reaching approximately 160 km/h on Sept. 11, 2014.
The driver of the first car was dealt with before the sheriff approached Pickup, which is when he was discovered as a disqualified driver whose probation would be lifted Dec. 4, 2014.
Pickup now faces another one-year driving prohibition, probation to keep the peace with good behaviour and 30 day in custody to be served intermittently.