Letter of Support from the Princeton RCMP
COURT NEWS - June 12 & 13, 2008
LOCAL MAN LOSES DRIVER'S LICENCE
Timothy A. Shopshire stood trial on June 12 on a charge of driving with over .08 mg. of alcohol in his blood on March 7, 2006.
The arresting officer testified that he had been doing random road checks all evening and had seen Shopshire's vehicle at 2:00 AM on Highway 3, and recognized it as Shopshire's vehicle. The officer said he had received an anonymous tip the previous week identifying Shopshire as a driver who frequently consumed alcohol and drove his vehicle.
The officer said Shopshire had pulled off Highway 3 onto Bridge Street then turned into Tapton Avenue. The officer had followed and pulled him over.
While talking to Shopshire, the officer said he smelled liquor on Shopshire's breath and made a demand for a roadside breath sample. Shopshire failed the test. He was taken to the detachment for a breath analysis which indicated a .10 alcohol level.
Defense Counsel Stan Turner argued that Shopshire's right as a citizen had been violated, as the Charter of Rights section 9 prohibits arbitrary detention of a citizen. He submitted case law to back up his argument.
Crown Counsel Michael Welsh argued that peace officers have the right to detain motorists under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act to check for valid Driver's licences, seatbelt use, vehicle mechanical safety and driver sobriety. He submitted case law to back his argument.
Judge Berdette had a lot of case law to read, and postponed her decision to the following day. She found Shopshire guilty as charged, and sentenced him to pay a $600 fine and prohibited him from driving for one year.
WOMEN PLEAD GUILTY
A 32 year old Princeton woman appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on June 12 to plead guilty to a charge of driving while impaired. Sherri-Lyn Robinson was arrested on March 7 when an RCMP officer saw her turning from Highway 3 onto Bridge Street with what he described as jerky steering.
The officer noted the smell of liquor on her breath, and administered a roadside test, which she failed. She later failed a breath analysis. Robinson was ordered to pay a $600 fine and is prohibited from driving for one year.
Rachel Tanchak, age 28, entered a guilty plea to a charge of driving without due care and attention on January 11. She was ordered to pay a $600 fine.
Man pleads guilty
Michael S. Manderson, formerly of Hedley, appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on June 13 to enter a guilty plea to an impaired driving charge. He was to have stood trial, but changed his plea. He was to be sentenced in Penticton on June 16. He faces an additional charge of personation to gain advantage. This matter will be dealt with in Penticton where Manderson currently resides.
Booze problem leads to Court
Charalabos Bouzakis appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on June 12 to plead guilty to refusing to give a breath sample and failure to appear for his trial on April 13, 2007.
Bouzakis was apprehended by RCMP on August 11, 2005, and was scheduled to go to trial on April 13 and October 12 of 2007. He did not appear on either date.
Bouzakis testified to having no clear memory of where he had been on those dates and why he had not attended for his trials. He admitted he had been either in custody or in a detox center. He told Judge Berdette he is a severe alcoholic.
His mother testified that she believed he had been in custody on one of the trial dates, as she had gone to the North Vancouver courthouse to pick him up. She had no idea what he was doing on the other date, except to say he was either in jail or in a detox center.
The 35 year old Vancouver resident was ordered to pay a $600 fine and prohibited from driving for one year, and was fined $75 for failing to appear for trial.
Province of British Columbia Criminal Court Lists
