Annette W. runs a personal car service in the Yorkton area. It is mostly to help rural people get to medical appointments in Yorkton, Regina and Saskatoon, but she decided to take advantage of her Yorkton Taxi licence and offer local partiers a safe and cheap ride home from the bars.
“I was just out there trying to help,” she said.
Two weeks ago, she said was dropping off flyers at the City Limits Inn when she came across a man and a woman assaulting an older woman in the lobby. She broke it up and called police on her cell phone. The couple took off and she followed them south toward the skateboard park, but there she lost them.
One of the kids from the park joined in on the chase circling through the alley as Annette continued up Broadway. When Annette came across the couple again, they were beating the young man on the ground, she said. She yelled at them to stop and the man came at her with a knife, but she persuaded him to back off.
The couple took off again and Annette stayed with the boy until an ambulance arrived. They treated his injuries and let him go.
Police eventually tracked down the suspects, Matthew Strongquill and Desiree Obey.
They charged Strongquill with numerous charges including assault, breach of an undertaking, uttering threats and resisting arrest.
Obey received three common assault charges and one for assaulting a police officer.
Strongquill pleaded guilty to the breach, one assault and uttering threats and received one year in prison followed by six months probation. The judge also issue a mandatory firearms prohibition for 10 years and a DNA order.
Obey pleaded guilty to all four of her charges and will spend six months in jail.
The judge took into account victim impact statements in the sentencing.
Annette said she is still traumatized.
During the incident, the young man who tried to help lost his skateboard and hat. With a little help from Chad and Aaron at Cab clothing, Annette replaced the items and got had a little plaque made for him because she felt responsible for getting him involved.
The RCMP do not recommend engaging with fleeing suspects.
