SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Yellowknife RCMP didn't have to look very hard for a drunk driver as they saw the man's vehicle heading in the wrong lane toward them on Latham Island's Ingraham Drive.

Crown prosecutor Glen Boyd called the incident "appalling" and a "complete disregard for the citizens of Ndilo and Latham Island" in territorial court Dec. 16.

The RCMP received a complaint that a silver SUV had smashed into a resident's red pick-up truck, ran over his lawn mower and then struck the patio deck attached to the complainant's house in Ndilo on July 25, 2010, at 7:18 a.m.

The SUV then sped away after causing $9,405.52 in damage to the complainant's property.

After passing the vehicle on Ingraham Drive, the RCMP turned around and pulled the driver over in a nearby parking lot.

The officers noticed the man, a 22-year-old Yellowknife man, had red and glossy eyes, slurred speech and had the smell of alcohol on his breath. The officers also noticed damage to the front of the SUV with traces of red paint.

The man was arrested.

At the RCMP detachment he provided two breathalyzer samples - both reading 110 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.

The driver pleaded guilty on Nov. 9 to impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

Prior to Dec. 16, the man had no previous convictions.

Boyd requested that the offender receive a jail term in the range of 15 to 30 days and a three-year driving prohibition for impaired driving. He also wanted the man to pay restitution to the complainant.

As well, Boyd asked that a $500 fine be given for leaving the scene of an accident.

"This type of behaviour simply cannot be tolerated," he said.

When Judge Bernadette Schmaltz asked the offender if he wanted to say anything to the court, the man fumbled through a binder for several seconds before finding his notes. He told the court he was sorry and that he made a "huge mistake." He admitted he was fortunate he didn't hurt anyone.

Defence lawyer Adbul Khan told the court his client has been receiving alcohol counselling since the July 25 incident. Khan also noted his client's redeeming qualities - that he was once a member of Model United Nations while a student and how he wants to attend university. Khan requested a $2,000 fine, a two-year driving prohibition and restitution. He explained his client "just doesn't want to go to jail."

Schmaltz accepted the man was remorseful for his conduct, but added the Crown's request for jail time was reasonable and the man showed a "total lack of judgment."

She sentenced the man to a $1,500 fine and a three-year driving prohibition for impaired driving and a $500 fine for leaving the scene of an accident. He was also ordered to pay restitution in full at a rate of $275 a month.

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