Court Briefs: Local man gets 30 days for drug-induced tirade with police

By Medicine Hat News on August 22, 2024.

A man who said he was high on meth when police pepper sprayed him earlier this month was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in custody for mischief and resisting arrest.

Court of Justice at Medicine Hat heard that Jason Fraser Waddell, 48, was arrested Aug. 11 after a woman reported to police that he was screaming and damaging detour signs on Bridge Street just after midnight.

Two Medicine Hat police officers engaged the man, who they say took an aggressive stance, and then used a chemical spray to subdue him.

Duty counsel attorney Vince Guinan said Waddell is of poor economic circumstances, has substance abuse issues and has no recollection of the incident.

“Unfortunately most of his (housing) consists of a rotation between shelters and the Medicine Hat Remand Centre,” said Guinan.

Waddell has been found guilty of three other mischief charges in the last 10 months, and spent 110 days of that time incarcerated.

On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to the new charges and requested that the time he has already served be considered sufficient, appearing in court via closed-circuit TV.

Justice Fischer disagreed, but granted a joint request against imposing a probation order.

“I understand that you’d like to be out today, but 30 days is a fit sentence,” Fischer said. “At some point this is up to you” to address addiction issues.

Waddell was given 1.5 times credit for 10 days already spent in jail, leaving 15 days on his sentence.

Bail for co-accused in shooting

One of the men charged after someone was shot in a mobile home park earlier this month has been granted release on conditions while prosecutors prepare the case against him.

Brent Anthony Health, 36, was one of two men arrested Aug. 3 and charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, unlawful possession of a firearm, as well as related firearms offences.

On Wednesday, prosecutors said “due to changes in the investigation, the Crown consents to the release with $300 cash deposit.”

The release order includes a list of conditions, curfew and no contact order with a number of people connected to the investigation.

The case will return to court in early September.

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