A 17-year-old youth received a $300 fine in Athabasca provincial court June 11 for driving under the influence in an incident going back to May 4 at 10 p.m.
Crown attorney Dave Hall noted when police pulled the youth over, a breathalyzer test put the youth's blood alcohol level to between 100 to 110 milligrams.
In levelling the fine against the youth. Judge Peter Ayotte noted that while the youth was a first-time offender, the law does take impaired driving charges very seriously.
The judge mentioned that across the country, four people die per day as a result of impaired driving, which when added up, would only take six weeks to surpass the 10-year death toll for Canadian soldiers who fought in the war in Afghanistan.
Ayotte gave the youth until August 13 to pay the fine.
In addition to the fine, he also banned the youth from driving a motor vehicle anywhere in Canada for a period of one year. He said the exact time the youth gets to go behind the wheel again will depend on the province's driver control board.
Giving a false name leads to $700 fine
A man charged with obstructing a police officer was given a $700 fine, plus $210 dollars in victim surcharges.
Lenny Ray Giroux pled guilty in was stopped by RCMP March 15 after he was caught speeding at 124 kilometres per hour.
Crown attorney Euan Gilmore noted the officer saw the defendant change places with another person in the vehicle while it was still moving.
Upon being stopped, Gilmore said that Giroux game a false name to the arresting officer, and admitted his real name after he was formally placed under arrest.
Gilmore also noted that he has had two similar offences in 2012 and 2017, both of which netted him a fine of $500 for each incident.
Judge Ayotte gave Giroux until August 13 to pay the fine. Before sentencing, Giroux apologized to the court for committing the offence.
Trespassing conviction results in $287 fine
An Athabasca woman fined $287 dollars for damaging property at Servus Credit Union May 1.
RCMP were notified when Stacy Carothers was found sleeping in the ATM area of the business, and refused to leave with officers asked her to do so, and damaged some property as a result.
Carothers was originally charged with mischief damage under $5,000, but was found not guilty in exchange to her pleading guilty to petty trespassing instead.
Judge Ayotte gave Carothers until August 13 to pay off the fine.
