Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 03/05) - A Yellowknife teenager who was caught driving impaired in his red sports car - a graduation present from his parents - lost his licence for one year.

Cody Erasmus, 18, pleaded guilty in territorial court last Tuesday to driving with over .80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood. Erasmus, who had no previous criminal record, was also fined $1,000 by Judge Robert Gorin.

Erasmus lost the sports car after being arrested. He received the vehicle as a reward for graduating on the honour roll at a Yellowknife high school, said his lawyer.

"I'm sorry for what I've done," Erasmus told the court. "I made some stupid decisions that night."

The teenager was spotted by police barrelling along Franklin Avenue on May 14 around 12:00 a.m. He made lane changes without signalling before being pulled over on Old Airport Road, said Crown attorney Sandra Aitken.

A wobbly Erasmus exited the car and told police he had been drinking some "Jamaican Sambuca" with friends, Aitken said.

They were celebrating a recent high school graduation. At the Yellowknife police detachment Erasmus was given two breathalyser exams. His blood alcohol level was pegged at .15 and .16, twice the legal limit for driving.

Defence lawyer Margot Engley argued the incident was out of character for the honour roll student. "This is a young man who has been responsible," she said.

Since his arrest, Erasmus has attended four meetings of alcoholics anonymous and expressed remorse.

"You should be a leader," Gorin told Erasmus. "What you did that evening was completely out of character."