A St. Albert man who dodged Edmonton traffic and ran through a mall parking lot to escape police will spend the next three months securely behind bars.
Ryan Patrick Muir appeared in St. Albert court on Monday via closed-circuit television (CCTV) from the Edmonton Remand Centre (ERC).
He pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody, obstructing/resisting a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and breaching the conditions of his probation and recognizance.
The charges stemmed from an incident last spring when Muir neglected to meet his probation officer and fled on foot when officers arrived at his home. At the time, Muir was wanted on nine warrants for his arrest by the Edmonton Police Service for escaping lawful custody during a traffic stop on the Yellowhead Trail.
The 31-year-old was eventually arrested in a mall parking lot where officers found 0.8 milligrams of methamphetamines, two cellphones and cash in his possession.
Muir’s criminal record dates back to 2004 and “shows a disregard for police and other levels of authority,” said federal Crown prosecutor Jeremy Newton. Muir spent three months in jail last summer for uttering threats and obstructing a police officer.
Judge Bruce Garriock handed Muir a sentence of 90 days in jail. Muir is also facing a number of charges in the Edmonton courts, including escape from lawful custody, flight from a peace officer (motor vehicle) – no injury, theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, driving an uninsured motor vehicle on a highway and possession of stolen property – under $5,000.
A man from Alexander First Nation received a hefty fine for attempting to cash a forged cheque at a local Bank of Montreal branch.
George Arcand pleaded guilty to use of a forged document.
The 27-year-old was arrested on Nov. 6, 2012 after he tried to cash a cheque for $1,800 from a construction company he was not an employee of. Court heard Arcand had served six months probation for a forged document charge in Morinvillle in 2007.
Arcand was handed a $1,150 fine, including a victim fine surcharge.
After staying sober for 139 days, a Saskatchewan man fell of the wagon and landed in jail.
Jay Lee Bedard appeared in St. Albert court Monday via CCTV from the ERC and pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, assault and four counts of failing to comply with the conditions of his undertaking.
Court heard on Feb. 25, St. Albert RCMP were called to Mission Liquor Mart at 10:46 a.m. because a man was acting belligerent and had spit on the store owner. The man – who was later identified as Bedard through video surveillance – fled the store before officers arrived.
The 22-year-old was arrested around 7:50 p.m. on the same day when officers found him standing on the St. Albert train trestle in Lions Park. Officers described Bedard as extremely intoxicated, yelling, screaming and struggling away from RCMP while on top of the 150-foot bridge. Once apprehended, they found 5.5 grams of marijuana in Bedard’s possession.
On May 4, the Saskatchewan man was arrested again for breaching the conditions of his release – to abstain from alcohol and other intoxicating substances. RCMP patrolling the area of Fountain Park Recreation Centre found Bedard stumbling along the sidewalk and noted a strong odour of liquor coming from him.
Court heard Bedard did not have an extensive criminal record until these instances. He only started drinking again after he was prohibited from seeing his 16-month-old daughter.
Garriock gave Bedard an18-month suspended sentence – he will not go to jail if he abstains from drugs and alcohol, seeks drug and alcohol counselling and fulfills other conditions as directed by his probation officer.
Bedard has been serving time at the ERC since May 4.
A man received a hefty fine Monday for driving with a blood-alcohol level more than double the legal limit.
Court heard on April 6, Geoffrey Robert Reny hit a sign on St. Albert Trail with his car. A witness checked on Reny and described him as “barely coherent.” When RCMP arrived on scene, Reny provided two breath samples reading 210 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – the legal limit is 80.
Reny pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level exceeding the legal limit. Charges of impaired operation and possession of a controlled substance were withdrawn.
He received a $1,500 fine and one-year driving prohibition with the option to apply to the interlock program after three months.
