The Citizen, 2000-05-24, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000.
Judge jails 2 on drunk driving charges
Two people were sent to jail after
pleading guilty in the Ontario Court
of Justice, Wingham, May 18, to
charges of driving drunk.
Madame Justice Deborah Austin
was told that officers had received a
call about an impaired driver on
March 29. When they located the
pickup it was parked on the side of
the road. The driver Parry Clark, of
RRl, Simcoe, was standing beside
the vehicle. The trailer, which Clark
had been driving, had no rear axle
and the truck’s bumper was almost
pulled off.
Officers noticed visible signs of
impairment. They found the keys in
Clark’s right hand which was inside
his coat pocket.
He struggled briefly while being
cuffed and was described by
Attorney for the Crown Denise
Scapinello as being “very aggres
sive”.
At the detachment after refusing
twice to provide a breath sample,
Clark was returned to the cell, she
said. He kicked the plexiglass in the
cell door until it broke into pieces.
The estimate of damage was $50.
Duty Counsel John Schenk said
Clark recognizes that he and alcohol
aren’t compatible and has since this
incident given up drinking.
Police
solve
B&Es
Members of Huron and
Kincardine OPP detachments and
property crime unit detectives have
now completed an investigation of
three male youth offenders for cases
that took place between Jan. 12 and
Feb. 5 of this year.
The investigation began following
a variety store break-in in Lucknow
and the arrest of three young offend
ers. Follow up included several
interviews being conducted by
investigating officers. It was deter
mined that the youths had been
involved in several other incidents in
Huron County.
One l'/’-year-old male has been
charged with four counts of breaking
and entering into businesses in
Huron Park, Hensail. Dungannon
and Seaforth These break-ins took
place between Jan. 12 to Feb. 2. In
addition the youth has also been
charged with 21 counts of theft, 13
counts of possession of stolen prop
erty and five counts of mischief.
These charges related to incidents of
theft and mischief involving vehicles
from McKillop Twp., Dublin,
Stanley Twp., Seaforth, London,
Clinton and ten from the town of
Goderich. Some of (he items taken
from the vehicles were cash, cell
phones, CD players and stereos.
Two other youths both 17 years of
age have been charged with several
charges relating to the same inci
dents. They will appear in court in
Goderich in June.
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Though Clark has two previous
convictions in just over 10 years, the
most recent was eight years ago,
Schenk noted.
Noting the record, Austin said she
felt it necessary for her to impose a
period of custody. Clark was sen
tenced to 21 days to be served inter
mittently and was p’aced on 12
months probation which is to be
“rehabilitative in nature”, said
Austin. His sentence will be served
in Brantford.
In addition Clark is off the road for
two years.
“Hopefully sir, this is the last
offense of this nature because the
consequences will become more sig
nificant,” said Austin.
Jean Yenssen of Wingham was
charged March l after police
responded to the scene of an acci
dent. Yenssen identified herself as
the driver and when the officer asked
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if she had been drinking admitted to
consuming alcohol earlier, but not in
the previous two hours.
Breathalizer readings were 190 mg
of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.
Yenssen has three prior drinking-
related convictions from 1977, 1989
and 1992.
Though Scapinello asked for
incarceration in light of the record
and the high readings, Schenk noted
that Yenssen had family responsibil
ities which would make this difficult.
Stressing that “this is a very seri
ous matter that shows you have a
serious problem with alcohol,”
Austin said a brief period of custody
should not interfere with Yenssen’s
responsibilities but would “bring
home the fact that this behaviour
can’t be tolerated.”
She was sentenced to six days in
jail to be followed by 18 months pro
bation. She is also prohibited from
driving for two years.
Impaired
Todd Griffith of Wroxeter was
charged with impaired driving,
March 31 in Wroxeter.
Scapinello said police stopped the
accused after he drove over a curb.
Griffith exited the car and ran and
was later found by police hiding in a
carport.
Though police noted signs of
impairment Griffith did have a
“steady gait”, said Scapinello.
He refused to provide a sample,
she said, telling police not to waste
their time.
Noting the early guilty plea,
Schenk said Griffith admitted he was
wrong and had from the arrest.
He was fined $750 and is off the
road for one year.
Assault
A Blyth man pled guilty to com
mon assault regarding an incident in
1 1, .Ji
pt ■L
Howick on Nov. 27.
Gerald McCullough had entered
the home of his wife and her
boyfriend while they were sleeping,
Scapinello said. He picked up a hick
ory stick in the house and hit the vic
tim twice on the arm. McCullough’s
wife eventually calmed him down
and he left.
Defence Counsel Mike Donnelly
said that McCullough had been hav
ing a difficult time dealing with the
separation from his wife. The inves
tigating officer had noted that
McCullough “seemed very sorry”
and that it was not typical behaviour.
“There was immediate remorse
and he continues to appreciate the
seriousness of what transpired,” said
Donnelly.
McCullough was fined $400 and
placed on probation for 12 months.
There is also a five-year weapon pro
hibition.
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