SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A Yellowknife resident was sentenced to 45 days in jail April 10 after she was caught driving past a school with a blood alcohol level more than two times the legal limit.
In addition, Florita Washie received a 30-month driving prohibition for her transgression.
The incident took place at 10:39 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 13, 2012. Washie had been drinking with a relative at Chateau Nova before heading to the parking lot and hopping into a truck along with another man. According to the agreed statement of facts, it took Washie three minutes to leave the parking lot. She then turned onto 44 Street at which point a witness called the police. The RCMP later found Washie and her passenger in the parking lot of the Northern Lites Motel. She was given a Breathalyser test, which revealed her blood alcohol level was more than two times the legal limit of 0.08 blood alcohol.
Washie admitted to the police she had been drinking all night and consumed six beer shortly before driving.
Crown prosecutor Mark Feldthusen argued that Washie should receive 45 to 60 days in custody along with a 30-month driving prohibition. There are a few aggravating factors in this case, he said, pointing to the fact there was a passenger in the vehicle, she was over the legal limit and she did not have a valid driver's licence. He also noted that Washie has a prior conviction from 2010 for operating a vehicle while impaired.
For her first offence she was given a $1,000 fine and a one-year driving prohibition.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Jay Bran admitted the Crown's request was reasonable but argued his client should be given a lesser sentence. Additionally, he requested the judge allow Washie to serve her sentence intermittently due to her family commitments and her husband's two-week work rotation.
Given Washie's previous drunk driving conviction, Judge Robert Gorin said his focus has to be on deterrence and the protection of the public. In the end, Gorin agreed with the Crown's position but also granted Bran's request for his client to serve her jail term intermittently.
Washie will have to report to the authorities Saturdays between 8 and 9 a.m. and will be released Sundays between 6:30 and 7 p.m. If she is on good behaviour she will only have to spend 15 weekends in jail, added the judge. Gorin left it to the RCMP and corrections to decide where Washie would serve her sentence.
