SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 24-year-old man who drove drunk in front of an RCMP vehicle near the Raven Pub and then ran a stop sign New Year's Eve received the minimum fine of $1,000 and a one-year driving ban March 15 in territorial court.

"He put himself and the public at risk by making the dangerous choice to drive that night," said Crown prosecutor Jill Andrews, who asked Judge Garth Malakoe to impose a higher fine, in the range of $1,000-$1,400, and a 12-month driving ban.

Andrews told the court a Yellowknife RCMP patrol vehicle was parked in front of the Raven Pub on 50 Street on Jan. 1, 2011 at 1:55 a.m., when a "frantic" woman ran up to the officers and told them of a "loaded guy" in a black pickup truck. Before the officers could respond, the Ford F-150 truck in question pulled out in front of them onto 50 Street and turned right on 51 Avenue running a stop sign without applying the brake lights, the Crown prosecutor said.

The officers followed the vehicle and pulled it over on 51 Street in front of the St. John Ambulance building. The officers noticed the driver slumped over the steering wheel. They asked him why he ran the stop sign, and he replied he "did not see it."

Andrews said the officers noticed the smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle and that the man had glossy eyes and slurred speech. He fumbled with the vehicle's insurance information as he passed it to police, and stumbled when he got out of the truck. When asked if he was drinking, he told the officers he had only "two beer." At the Yellowknife RCMP detachment, the offender provided two breathalyzer samples - the first registering 110 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood and the second registering 100 mg. The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Defence lawyer Nikolaus Homberg said his client, who lives in Behchoko, is a skilled hunter who often goes out on the land to provide for his community, and is employed as a labourer with a drilling company. Homberg told the court his client has a previous criminal conviction in 2005 not related to impaired driving. He asked the court for the minimum fine of $1,000 and a 12-month driving ban.

Malakoe granted the defence's request, saying the breathalyzer readings were on the "lower scale." He added it was encouraging to hear of a Yellowknife citizen with the sense to inform the RCMP of a potential impaired driver.

When asked if he had anything to say to the court, the offender apologized for "wasting (the court's) time," adding that he shouldn't have been drinking and driving that night.

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