Chad Westgard, 30, received a 60-day intermittent prison sentence for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest in 2013, and breaching an existing probation order in September 2014 that required Westgard to abide by a curfew.
Westgard pleaded guilty to the charges at Estevan provincial court on Feb. 23, where the joint submission was made and accepted by presiding judge Lane Weigers.
The Crown said that on Sept. 27, 2013 at approximately 3 a.m., a police officer on patrol on the south side of the avenue behind Gibby’s Bar in Estevan noticed several males outside of the bar, two of which were fighting.
The officer, who recognized Westgard, apprehended him by grabbing his left arm and escorting him to the police cruiser. Westgard was being charged with being intoxicated in a public area.
The Crown said as the pair neared the police vehicle, Westgard began to resist the officer by pulling away and twisting his body. It took three additional police officers, who arrived on scene shortly after, to place Westgard into the police vehicle.
Police transported Westgard to EPS station and was placed in a cell, only after a significant struggle between the accused and police. The Crown noted that Westgard at one point grabbed and tugged at an officer’s shirt while screaming. Police had to use pepper spray on the accused, and only a few minutes later, did the accused stop resisting.
The Crown said police reports also noted Westgard was heavily intoxicated and screamed several obscenities at the officers.
Westgard has engaged in altercations with police in the past, as the Crown noted the accused received an obstruction charge in 2006 and another assault on a police officer in 2013.
The defense said this is an incident “(Westgard) would like to put behind us,” and that it was a serious error of judgment.
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In other proceedings, Nathan Mullen appeared in court via closed-circuit television.
Mullen is charged with second-degree murder following the death of Leslie Erin Dwyre, who was found dead in her Petterson Drive home April 21, 2014 appeared via CCTV on Feb. 21.
His case was adjourned to March 16 when a preliminary hearing will be scheduled.
