A local man charged with assault has served his time, the judge ruled.
On Tuesday, April 2, Donald Sydney Cooper, 57, appeared in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse where he pled guilty to assault, careless driving, breaching his probation, and resisting arrest.
He was sentenced to 65 days in jail, time he has already spent behind bars.
On July 10, 2018, Addictions Services contacted the Bonnyville RCMP after a meeting with Cooper. Staff believed he was intoxicated and planning on driving.
A few minutes later, police received another complaint from a victim of an assault. According to the complainant, Cooper had been driving, stopped, got out of his vehicle, and reached into the victim’s open car window in order to grab his phone.
Crown prosecutor Tyler MacLean said Cooper claimed he had thought he was being video recorded.
The pair wrestled as Cooper attempted to get the cell phone, before he gave up and drove off.
Reports from witnesses described Cooper’s driving as erratic as he made his way home down Hwy. 28.
Police attended Cooper’s residence.
When officers arrived, they could hear an engine revving and witnessed a Ford F150 accelerate quickly before flipping over in the driveway.
RCMP broke the windshield and pulled Cooper, who was uncooperative, out of the truck.
The accused was arrested and placed in the back of the police cruiser.
Cooper remained in custody from July 2018 to August 2018 for a total of 63 enhanced days.
According to defence counsel Hart Spencer, Cooper has significant physical and mental health ailments such as ADHD, depression, PTSD, and chronic pain.
Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams agreed with the joint submission of 63 days, time-served, a 12-month probation where he’s to have no contact with the victim of the assault, attend counselling as directed by probation, take medications as prescribed by a mental health or family physician, and abstain from drugs and alcohol.
He also received a 30-day license suspension.
She noted, the victim of the assault “would have been very concerned with someone reaching into his vehicle,” where he is supposed to be able to feel safe.
Spencer said Cooper was “having a very bad day and was very depressed.”
