An individual involved in a high-speed chase outside the Battlefords has been sentenced to six months less remand time.
Matthew Greer entered guilty pleas in North Battleford Provincial Court Wednesday morning, appearing by closed-circuit TV from custody in Saskatoon. He pled guilty to dangerous driving, resisting arrest by running away, possession of morphine, carrying an imitation pistol, marijuana possession and a breach charge.
The pistol and marijuana charges date back to July 7 when Battlefords RCMP responded to a weapons complaint at a residence on 33rd Street in Battleford. Greer was one of four people arrested and charged with various weapons and drug offences.
Crown prosecutor Chris Browne told the court Greer co-operated with the investigation, admitting that a pellet gun as well as a marijuana grinder belonged to him.
The breach charge stems from Aug. 25 while the dangerous driving stems from an incident Sept. 13 where police responded to a complaint of firing of a gun in the northeast part of Territorial Drive in North Battleford.
Greer fled the scene at high rates of speed in excess of 140 km/h. His vehicle was pursued by police to a community pasture at Mayfair, where the vehicle’s occupants fled the scene. Greer was found and taken into custody the following day.
“This is a very concerning matter,” said Browne, who noted the high speed put the public at risk. “These type of offences are happening more and more in our community.”
Defence counsel Andrew Lyster had called for a more lenient six-to-eight month conditional sentence, but Judge Dan O’Hanlon went along with the Crown’s call for a jail sentence.
Greer was sentenced to six months incarceration less remand time credited at 39 days, for a total of 141 days. A two-year driving prohibition and 10-year weapons probation was imposed, as was an order for the taking of a DNA sample. A forfeiture order was also made for the pellet pistol and for the narcotics that were seized. Victim surcharges also apply.
