Participating in the provincial impaired driver treatment program should help Brandin George Cannon realize it’s unwise to drive while intoxicated, an action that cost him his licence for two years.
Cannon, 25, from Moose Jaw, appeared in Moose Jaw provincial court recently where he pleaded guilty to impaired driving. Since this was the second time since 2016 that he had been charged with this offence, he received — as part of a joint submission — a two-year driving prohibition and had his licence cancelled. He received probation that started Dec. 18 and ends on Jan. 17, 2020 when he is supposed to enter the treatment program in Prince Albert for 33 days.
As part of that probation, he must keep the peace and be of good behaviour, while he is not allowed to consume alcohol or drugs. He must also pay a victim surcharge of $100 within three months.
The Crown stayed a charge of having a blood alcohol content over the legal limit of .08.
“My client exhibited all the conditions of impaired motor skills,” said defence lawyer Merv Nidesh, such as slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. “It was the manner of driving that caused him to be stopped … . He was in a severely impaired state.”
Nidesh added that Cannon’s parents support him in taking treatment.
A Moose Jaw peace officer was on patrol on Oct. 17 at 12:30 a.m. when a vehicle pulled in front of him and began to swerve to the left and right, and even into the opposite lane, Crown prosecutor Stephen Yusuff said while reading the case facts.
The officer stopped Cannon’s vehicle and found a strong odour of alcohol coming from the truck, Yusuff continued. The officer asked the man to step away from the vehicle, which he did. However, he stumbled to the left and right before grabbing onto the truck to maintain his balance.
Cannon provided two breath samples, which came back at .200 and .210 — nearly two-and-a-half times the legal limit.
Yusuff added that Cannon pleaded guilty to a similar charge on May 5, 2016.
“You’ve gone through (a similar) program once previously. I hope, sir, that this time you do benefit from the program,” said Judge Daryl Rayner. “There was a benefit last time. I hope this one stays with you. Obviously drinking itself is not the issue, it’s the drinking and then getting behind the wheel … .
“You do obviously pose a huge risk to the community when you get behind the wheel after you have been drinking.”
Rayner added that he accepted the conditions outlined in the joint submission.
