An attempt to obstruct a peace officer by claiming to be the driver of a vehicle — when it was actually an intoxicated friend — ended up backfiring on Kendra Myers.
Myers, 20, originally from North Battleford but now living in Moose Jaw, was in Moose Jaw provincial court recently, where she pleaded guilty to obstructing a peace officer and received six months of probation, along with 20 hours of community service.
The Crown stayed a charge of failing to appear in court.
RCMP was on patrol in North Battleford on Aug. 11, 2018, around 10 p.m. when they located a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed, explained Crown prosecutor Stephen Yusuff. Officers managed to stop the vehicle, and when that happened, it appeared that the occupants inside switched seats.
The officer spoke to Myers, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. The officer realized she wasn’t the original driver since the seat was pushed back, it had been lowered, and her arms didn’t reach the steering wheel.
“Everyone in the vehicle except her were intoxicated,” said Yusuff.
Myers eventually told the officer she was not the driver but that a friend in the back seat was. This, Yusuff noted, was clearly an attempt to obstruct the officer in doing his job.
Since Myers had moved to Moose Jaw since then, the Crown prosecutor’s office in North Battleford sent the case to Moose Jaw. That office recommended that Myers be given a suspended sentence with probation of six months, plus community service hours.
Judge Brian Hendrickson accepted the Crown’s recommendation, giving Myers until March 31 to complete her community service.
Moose Jaw provincial court next sits on Jan. 27.
