Letter of Support from the Princeton RCMP
COURT NEWS - April 16, 2009
Judge agrees to Peace Bond
In Provincial Court in Princeton on April 16, local resident Braydon Scarpelli entered a guilty plea to an assault charge. Scarpelli was part of a vigilante group who attacked and seriously injured Adam Judd.
The group saw Judd in front of a downtown establishment on October 4, 2008. They believed Judd had stabbed a friend of the group.
Scarpelli had no criminal record, so was ordered to serve a one year peace bond with conditions, including no contact with Adam Judd.
Hedley woman pleads guilty
Denise L. de Keruzec appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on April 16 to enter a guilty plea to a charge of driving with more than .08 blood alcohol. She was apprehended by police on February 9 as a result of a 911 call advising of a possible impaired driver. The caller described the vehicle and erratic driving.
Police located the vehicle on Highway 3 and saw the vehicle weaving in the lane as well as slowing down then speeding up. Police pulled it over and arrested de Keruzec.
Her blood alcohol readings were .210 and .200.
The 48 year old Hedley woman was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and is prohibited from driving for one year.
Neighbourhood issue turns to guns
An ongoing feud over water ended with drawn guns on Lulu Reserve, located east of Princeton on Old Hedley Road.
William R. Street was arrested July 7, 2008, on a charge of uttering threats and other firearms charges. He entered guilty pleas on April 16 when he appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton.
Street's girlfriend, Marcelle Garland, leases land on Lulu Reserve. She obtained water for her livestock and garden from a small creek. She had a one inch pipe accessing the creek 400 feet above her property. This pipe provided ample water.
She told the court she had gone without water because neighbour Ken Ryan had diverted the creek with a wall.
She told Street about it on the day the dispute erupted. Street became very angry, as this was not the first instance of Ryan diverting the water.
Street, who had been consuming alcohol and marijuana, lost his temper. Taking up a black powder rifle, he began shooting over the neighbour's house, threatening Ryan and his family. He was arrested at the scene, having hurt nobody. Street was held in custody for 36 days, and has been out on bail for 14 months with no other troublesome incidents.
Street told the court he was sorry for his actions and had not intended to hurt anyone.
Judge G. Sinclair took some time to reach a decision, but sentenced Street to time served plus a conditional discharge of one year. Conditions include no alcohol or illegal drugs, no contact with his girlfriend's neighbours, and no weapons. In addition, he must give a DNA sample.
COURT CONVICTS FORMER RESIDENT
Former Princeton resident, 39-year old Raymond Allan Nendick, was convicted in Supreme Court in Penticton on April 16th from charges stemming from a search warrant executed by Princeton RCMP in December of 2005.
The court heard how the search warrant was the culmination of a lengthy investigation and surveillance by the local detachment.
During the early morning hours of December 10, 2005, police executed a search warrant on Nendick's residence on Haliford Avenue seizing a quantity of powder and crack cocaine.
Evidence of drug trafficking such as weigh scales with cocaine residue, plastic baggies, scoresheets and currency were also seized from inside the residence. The court heard how at the time of the warrant, Nendick was arrested and prevented from attempting to flush cocaine down his toilet.
At trial, the search warrant obtained by police was challenged by defense counsel but was ruled lawful by the presiding judge.
Although answering to charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, the presiding judge found Nendick guilty of the lesser included charge of simple possession. Nendick was fined $1,000.00 and sentenced to one day in jail, with time already served.
Province of British Columbia Criminal Court Lists
