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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A woman who drove a truck into the side of Centre Square Mall pleaded guilty last Friday to driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.

The 39-year-old woman was given a $1,200 fine in territorial court last week after RCMP caught her driving drunk on Feb. 12.

Crown prosecutor Danielle Vaillancourt said police received a call at roughly 6:15 a.m. about "a black truck that ran into the Centre Square Mall building."

A witness to the accident called RCMP and followed the truck to Sissons Court. Vaillancourt said RCMP located the vehicle at Sissons Court, where it was parked and running with three people inside.

The 39-year-old woman was in the driver's seat and told police "nothing was wrong and she wanted to go home," said Vaillancourt.

The woman said she was driving her friends home from a party. Police said she was unsteady on her feet and smelled of alcohol.

"Injuries, luckily, did not occur," said Vaillancourt, adding the woman had more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit.

Drunk driving, she said, "is far too common in this jurisdiction."

There was no damage to the mall but the truck did receive some damage, although there was no monetary estimate given.

"I'm sorry that I drank and drive," said the guilty party, who has no previous driving convictions on her record.

"How you managed to crash into a multi-storey building ... remains a mystery," said Chief Judge Brian Bruser. "Obviously your excessive consumption of alcohol had something to do with it."

In addition to the fine, the woman was prohibited from driving for 18 months.