$1,200 fine for drunk driving

A Jasper man was fined $1,200 and issued a one-year driving suspension after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.

Court heard that Enrique Platon Pecayo, 34, was pulled over by RCMP in Jasper on March 18 at about 1:20 a.m. after police observed a Ford Explorer stopped awkwardly at a 45-degree angle at an intersection, occupying two lanes of traffic.

The police followed the vehicle as it turned on Patricia Street and proceeded to drive in the middle of the road before turning without signalling.

The RCMP then stopped the vehicle and an officer “noticed a strong odour of liquor” on Pecayo’s breath, court heard. A subsequent sample revealed a blood-alcohol reading of 0.15 per cent.

While the reading was high – nearly twice the criminal threshold of 0.08 per cent – judge Don Norheim noted it was not so high as to be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing.

Deer-chasing dog costs owner $300

The owner of a German shepherd that chased a mule deer into a fence and window at the Jasper Activity Centre received a $300 fine.

Court heard that, at about 6 p.m. on March 19, the deer came running down from the mountain to the west of the activity centre with the dog in pursuit.

The deer ended up crashing into a fence and at least one of the building’s windows before escaping with what appeared to be an injured leg, according to bystanders at the scene who ended up apprehending the dog and contacting the Park Warden Service.

The Crown requested a $300 fine for the dog’s owner, Kelly Hoyt. The defence argued that, while Hoyt had a responsibility to keep the dog on leash within the national park, it’s common practice for residents to allow their dogs to roam freely in the forest and simply keep a leash in hand and a close eye on their pets.

“You’re supposed to have dogs on leash but most people don’t,” defence attorney Laurie Rodger said. “It’s sort of the way things work in Jasper.”

Judge Don Norheim issued a $300 fine.