Monday, December 8, 2003

FAILED TO APPEAR ON NARCOTIC CHARGE
On the 30th of October 2003 police officers arrested and charged Melanie Beaulieu, age 23 of 171 Willow Avenue with Possession of a Narcotic.

The accused was released from custody with conditions to appear in court on December 1st. On 8th of December 2003 at 2:40 am the accused turned herself into police regarding an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on the December 1st. She was charged with Failing to Appear in Court. The accused is scheduled to appear in court on January 12th.


DOMESTIC ASSAULTS
Yesterday at approximately 3:30 am the accused, a 26-year-old male, assaulted his common-in-law girlfriend by grabbing her and throwing her on a couch. At 4:19 am, patrol officers arrested and charged the accused with Assault.

He was transported to the Police Station and booked in. He was then released from custody near noon hour on December 7th after he agreed to go to court on January 12th and not to molest, harass or annoy the victim. The accused was also not to associate with her.

Later on the 7th December 2003 at approximately 8:35 pm the accused was arrested at a residence in the P-Patch when he assaulted his ex-common-in-law spouse by throwing a coffee table and ashtray at her. These items missed the victim and she was not injured in the incident. Patrol Officers arrested and charged the male with Assault with a Weapon and Breach of Undertaking. He will appear in bail court today.

In another domestic incident yesterday between 4:00 am and 8:00 am, the accused, a 21-year-old male, was at an east end apartment with his common-law wife. During this time he assaulted her by punching her in the head with his fist causing swelling and slight bleeding and by kicking and punching her several times in the legs resulting in bruising and swelling.

The accused then assaulted the victim with a weapon (a fork) by stabbing her in the palm resulting in two puncture wounds. He also threatened the victim with death. The victim received minor injures in the incident. At 11:25 am Patrol Officers arrested and charged the accused with Assault, Assault with a Weapon and Uttering Death Threats.


IMPAIRED DRIVERS CAUGHT BY R.I.D.E. PROGRAM
On the weekend the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service conducted it’s festive season RIDE checks at various locations through out the city.

On Friday afternoon patrol officers checked approximately one hundred vehicles and found no one had been drinking and driving.

On Friday evening and into Saturday morning officers assigned to the RIDE program checked approximately 600 motorists and conducted 8 roadside screening tests, which resulted in two 12-hour suspensions.

On Saturday evening and into Sunday morning RIDE officers checked approximately 300 vehicles and conducted 6 roadside screening tests which resulted in one 12-hour suspension and two drinking and driving offenses under the Criminal Code.

The details are as follows: Kelly Funk, age 41 of 1005 Peoples Rd. was operating a motor vehicle after having consumed liquor. Funk was stopped at a RIDE checkpoint on Bay Street where a roadside screening test was administered and a fail was registered. As a result the accused Funk was arrested and transported to the Police Station for breath tests. He has been charged with Driving over .08. He will appear in court on January 12th.

Donna Espaniel, age 41 of 2-107 Breton Road was operating a motor vehicle after having consumed liquor. Espaniel passed through a RIDE checkpoint on Wellington Street East where a roadside screening device was used to do a screening test. A fail was registered and Espaniel was arrested and taken into custody for breath testing at the Police Station. The accused has been charged with Driving over .08. She will appear in court on January 12th.

In a third incident of drinking and driving related offences from yesterday, at just after 4:00 am patrol officers were dispatched to an incident on Fourth Line West where a car had struck another vehicle in the driveway of a private residence. Officers learned that the suspect vehicle had left the scene, after causing minor damage to a parked car.

At 4:17 am patrol officers stopped the suspect vehicle, a red Pontiac Sunfire, on Fourth Line near Peoples Road. The officers arrested and charged the driver of the car, Shawn Newman, age 26 of 1046 People’s Road, with Impaired Driving and Driving over .08. He will appear in court on January 12th.


HEAVY PENALTIES FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service would like to remind the public that the RIDE check program is in operation. Extra officers have been assigned to this program for the festive season. Once charged with Excess Blood Alcohol or Refusing a Breathalyzer Test, a motorist is subject to an immediate 90-day drivers licence suspension.

On being convicted for the first time, drivers will lose their licence for one year and be subject to a heavy fine. A second conviction will result in the loss of their licence for three years, with 14 days in jail.

A third conviction will result in a suspension for life, with 90 days in jail. If you do drink this holiday season, make alternate arrangements such as taking a cab, choosing a designated driver or using public transit. Always remember, “If you drink, not to drive!”


BREAK & ENTERS
Police investigated several break-ins yesterday. A homeowner on Wilcox Ave reported that his house was broken into sometime in the last week. Items stolen included a crossbow, some arrows and a small quantity of Mexican and Canadian currency.

In another break-in yesterday between 3:30pm and 5:00pm, someone entered a home on Byrne Avenue. Stolen was a Marksman laser hawk BB gun silver and black in colour.

At 6:48 pm patrol officers were called to Driving Force Internet at 616 Queen Street East and just after 7:00 pm officers were called to Arthur’s Funeral Home for reports of break-ins.

And at just after 10:00 pm police were advised that a storage unit in an apartment complex on Albert Street West was broken into.

These break ins are currently under investigation and anyone with information about them is asked to contact the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service at 949-6300 or Crime Stoppers.