It was mid-March when Tyler Hawken got behind the wheel of his truck while impaired and drove dangerously down a back alley before he crashed into a snowbank.
Someone in the area noticed the incident and called 911. Police showed up and arrested Hawken for impaired driving, being at or over the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08, and dangerous driving.
Appearing in Moose Jaw provincial court on April 29, Hawken, 22, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and received a fine of $2,500 and 12 months of probation.
As part of a joint submission, he will have to report to a probation officer, take an addictions assessment, take any counselling or treatment as is deemed necessary, and not operate any motorized conveyance for the first six months unless for work or driving to and from work.
The Crown withdrew the other two charges.
Moose Jaw police responded to a call about an erratic driver on March 16 at 2:50 a.m., explained Crown prosecutor Robbie Parker. A white truck had run into a snowbank in a back alley and became stuck. The vehicle was still running when officers arrived.
The collision caused considerable damage to the vehicle, Parker said. Hawken was the operator of the vehicle; he does not have a criminal record.
Judge Brian Henderickson observed that this is not a situation where Hawken — who is from Moose Jaw — is also being prohibited from driving for a year, as is normally the case with impaired drivers. Parker replied that the Crown is imposing a condition where Hawken will have to carry paperwork explaining his driving situation, if police happen to pull him over.
“The reason (there is no driving prohibition) is, he is a farm labourer. His job is still waiting for him,” said defence lawyer Merv Nidesh.
Nidesh spoke with Hawken’s employers, who operate a farm north of Moose Jaw. The couple will continue to honour Hawken’s employment since they view him as their own son.
Judge Henderickson asked Nidesh how Hawken’s charge of dangerous driving came to be. Nidesh explained that it was a manner of where he was driving and how he was driving that prompted this charge. Hawken posed a danger to people and traffic near him at that time.
“His driving was erratic; he did not have appropriate control of the vehicle,” said Nidesh.
Henderickson accepted the joint submission and gave Hawken until December to pay the fine.
Provincial court next sits on April 30.
