A couple of altercations that turned out to be relatively minor in nature were the subject of police attention on the night of Jan. 16.
Estevan Police Service (EPS) members said they were called out twice to a local lounge to respond to fights in progress. The first event saw the combatants being sent on separate ways and police noted that all the participants co-operated with them, and no further action was deemed necessary.
While on patrol near the same lounge about an hour later, EPS members spotted another fight starting outside the establishment. A man who instigated the incident was sent on his way after being warned by police.
On that same evening shift, EPS members charged a 53-year-old man with driving while suspended. He now has a March 12 court date. Another driver was handed a 24-hour driving suspension following a roadside breathalyzer test.
Later that same night, police located an extremely intoxicated man in the central part of the city. He was transported to a local residence and placed in the care of a friend.
Shortly after that incident, EPS members were called to a local restaurant where an intoxicated man had entered and then did not leave. A sober friend was located and attended to the scene and took care of the inebriated subject, so no further policing action was required.
During the Jan. 17 day shift, EPS members responded to four separate alarm calls that were all registered as false. They also responded to two hit-and-run collisions that were placed under investigation. They reported they were quickly able to identify the owner/operator of one of the offending vehicles.
Police also opened a file on a theft that had taken place at a local business the night before.
On the night of Jan. 17, police had a busy time simply responding to false alarm calls as well as providing response to a call from a local lounge regarding a disturbance in their parking lot. Several females were engaged in an argument and one of them was arrested for being intoxicated in public and was lodged in cells for the evening.
Police also responded to several more RID (report intoxicated drivers) calls during the night. In all instances, the vehicles were located, and the drivers were checked for sobriety, and no further action was required.
On the evening of Jan. 18, EPS members received another RID call regarding a semi tractor-trailer entering the city. They were able to intercept the unit just outside city limits and followed it part way through the city with their emergency lights and sirens activated. The driver of the semi showed extreme levels of intoxication and did not supply a sample of his breath for analysis, so he was charged accordingly as well as being charged for impaired driving. It was noted that the driver was also driving in contravention of earlier court-ordered conditions to abstain from consuming alcohol, so that charge was added to the list.
An intoxicated person near the railroad tracks was the next subject of interest for police on the night of Jan. 18. The man had been spotted on the west side of the city, was picked up by police and transported to hospital, where he was held under observation while his core temperature was brought back to normal. After that was achieved, he was taken into custody and lodged in cells after being charged for being intoxicated in public.
Police were called out to the scene of a community fundraising event on the night of Jan. 18 in response to a call regarding a victim who had been punched and another who had the window of his vehicle knocked out. EPS investigators learned that the owner of the vehicle with the broken window would be satisfied with compensation to repair the windshield, while the person who had been punched did not wish to proceed with charges.
While police were still on the scene at the fundraiser, another person at the affair who had been punched in the mouth earlier noted that he had several broken teeth. While talking with the victim, he turned belligerent and refused to co-operate any further with police who attempted to explain to him that they required a statement from him before they could begin an investigation into the incident. The subject continued his rude remarks and after giving the police a one-finger salute, explained where they could go and how to get there. At that point EPS members postponed their investigation after explaining to him that if he changed his mind they would be pleased to help him out.
Shortly after that incident, police said they made special note of the work being performed by cab drivers that evening as they shuttled passengers to and from the event. They said having fewer people standing around waiting for rides, made their policing work much easier.
On that same night, EPS members responded to a call from a residence in the north central part of the city to remove an intoxicated woman from the premises. They also responded to two noisy party calls where they warned the homeowners about the city's noise bylaw.
On the night of Jan. 20, EPS members were asked to check on the fixtures inside a city-owned building in a park on the north central side of the city. There had been damage done and a 13-year-old youth was identified as probably being responsible for the damage. The youth was spoken to by police about his apparent actions, and the matter remains under investigation.
The next call on Jan. 20 was to a northeast residence where a man was refusing to leave the property and causing a disturbance. The matter was resolved without further action required by police after they spoke to the man.
A noise complaint led to police action that same night. The call came from the north central area of the city. The tenant occupying a suite in the residence was warned about the city's noise bylaw.
