SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 38-year-old woman caught driving drunk by an off-duty RCMP officer pleaded guilty in territorial court on Nov. 16.

"The off-duty police officer did his job well," said Judge Brian Bruser.

The Mountie was on his way home from work on Sept. 18 at about 4:20 a.m., when he saw a red Ford Focus speeding, erratically veering in and out of lanes and nearly driving off the road. He reported the car to the detachment, and when the on-duty RCMP arrived they found the car pulled over and the driver standing outside speaking with the off-duty police officer.

The RCMP noticed the woman was unsteady on her feet, sported red eyes and spoke in a slurred manner. Crown prosecutor Mathieu St. Germain said the woman had trouble understanding and answering questions posed to her by the police.

"When the officer asked where she had been drinking, she said 'I had two drinks,'" said St. Germain.

She was arrested and given two breathalyzer tests at the detachment. Both times she read .18, which is more than double the legal limit of .08 grams of ethyl alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

St. Germain said the woman was "polite and co-operative with police," and he gave her credit for pleading guilty to the crime at an early opportunity, but said the high level of alcohol on her breath was "aggravating" as well as the dangerous manner in which she was driving. St. Germain asked for a 15-month driving ban and a fine ranging from $1,300 to $1,500.

Defence lawyer Tracy Bock said the woman was making only $800 a month and was living with her 21-year-old daughter, who was "going through hard times."

Bruser said he had to give considerable credit for the guilty plea, but could not give her the minimum fine and driving ban because of her high blood alcohol level. He gave her a 15-month driving ban and a $1,200 fine, as well as 10 months to pay it.

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