Driving while impaired is a problem in Moose Jaw, as police continue to nab motorists who have blood alcohol levels beyond the legal limit — sometimes by as much as double.
Several motorists appeared in Moose Jaw provincial court on May 13, where they pleaded guilty to driving while impaired, lost their licences for a year and received hefty fines.
Corie Johnston
Craik RCMP received a call on April 1 at 4 p.m. about an erratic driver near that community, said Crown prosecutor Robbie Parker while reading the facts. Officers located the vehicle about a half hour later and detained the driver, Corie Johnston, 39.
RCMP smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle, while they noticed Johnston was unsteady on her feet and had alcohol on her breath. Officers took two blood alcohol content (BAC) samples from the Regina resident, with one reading coming back at .220 and a second reading at .210; both were more than twice the legal limit.
Parker recommended that the minimum fine of $2,000 be imposed, particularly due to the high readings. He also recommended that she lose her licence and be prohibited from driving for a year.
Johnston pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while impaired, while the Crown stayed a charge of having a BAC over the legal limit of .08.
The woman does have some addictions issues, but has taken several steps to treat that problem, her defence lawyer said. Johnston has seen a counsellor through her work and through the former Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. She has taken in-patient programming, having already completed one full program. She also attends Alcoholics Anonymous several times a week.
“This has been a huge wakeup call for me and how bad my situation has become,” Johnston told Judge Daryl Rayner.
Rayner accepted the Crown’s sentencing submission, giving Johnston two months to pay her fine.
Kaleb Beattie
Moose Jaw police were on patrol at 3 a.m. on April 21 when they noticed a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of the Prairie South School Division office, said Parker. The officer conducted a vehicle stop and found Beattie behind the wheel. Beattie had glassy eyes and slow, deliberate speech, while he also smelled of alcohol.
Beattie provided two breath samples, with one coming back at .110 and the second at .100, which were just above the legal limit of .08.
The school division’s parking lot is a block from Beattie’s home, he told Judge Rayner. He was parked there since he wanted to smoke marijuana before he went to sleep. He didn’t want to smoke cannabis at home since he lives with his parents.
“It is a very unfortunate mistake you’ve made,” said Judge Rayner, pointing out impaired driving is a serious issue in Saskatchewan.
Beattie, 21, from Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a BAC over .08 and received a fine of $1,000, plus a driving ban of one year.
The Crown stayed a charge of impaired operations of a motor vehicle.
Rayner gave Beattie until September to pay his fine.
Jason Mazzel
Mazzel was in Moose Jaw on March 6 for work when he went to the Rock Creek Tap and Grill to socialize, said Parker. Police were called at 10:21 p.m. to Thatcher Drive East for a report of an impaired driver. Officers located the vehicle in the parking lot of the Suburban Inn on Diefenbaker Drive, with Mazzel talking on his phone.
“When he exited the vehicle, he was swaying and had slurred speech. His face was flushed and he had red, runny eyes,” Parker said.
Mazzel provided two breath samples; one came back at .180 and the second at .170, both twice the legal limit.
Mazzel, 41, from Saskatoon, pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a BAC over .08 and received a fine of $2,000, lost his licence and is prohibited from driving for one year.
The Crown stayed a charge of impaired operations of a motor vehicle.
Rayner accepted the Crown’s submission, giving Mazzel until Oct. 1 to pay his fine.
Moose Jaw provincial court next meets on May 15.
