BONNYVILLE - Over the span of two months, Cody Cardinal-Hill wracked up multiple charges including assaulting a police officer, theft under $5,000, and resisting arrest.
On Tuesday, he appeared in court to speak to a list of offences that date back to April 10, when Bonnyville RCMP were called about a fight in progress at a local residence.
When officers arrived, they found two males, one of which was Cardinal-Hill, on the front steps of the house. Cardinal-Hill had bruising under his eye and blood near his mouth, while the other man involved showed signs of more serious injuries. As a result, police called EMS to the scene.
Crown prosecutor Renato Di Lorenzo detailed what led up to the fight during Cardinal-Hill's appearance in court.
According to police, on the day of the offence, Cardinal-Hill showed up at the residence and, after being denied entrance into the house, a fight broke out.
During his arrest, Cardinal-Hill showed signs of extreme intoxication, and refused to cooperate with police. At one point, he lunged at RCMP, head-butting an officer.
He was placed in cells and later released from custody.
Police once again crossed Cardinal-Hill’s path on Sept. 18, when they were called by the 50 Ave. 7-Eleven about a theft where a male entered the store, came behind the counter, and demanded the staff to open the cash register drawers. The thief made-off with $60 in cash and cigarettes.
Video footage provided to RCMP showed a male with bleach-blonde hair and a red backpack entering the store, stealing the items, and then fleeing the scene.
Officers conducted patrols of the area and were told by witnesses at a nearby bar they had seen a male matching that description and believed it was Cardinal-Hill police were looking for.
RCMP found the accused wearing the same clothes as the suspect in the video and carrying a red backpack that contained unopened packages of cigarettes.
Di Lorenzo stressed that during the theft, there was no indication from the witnesses that Cardinal-Hill was violent or threatening.
While police were attempting to arrest Cardinal-Hill, however, he lied about his identity.
He was released two-days later, but found himself behind bars that same day after RCMP were contacted by ACE Liquor regarding a shoplifter.
Video surveillance showed Cardinal-Hill putting a bottle of alcohol in his pocket before heading up to the counter with another bottle in his hand. After being told he didn’t have enough money for the alcohol, he left the store without paying for the bottle he had concealed in his pocket.
Officers found Cardinal-Hill at a Bonnyville residence where he was believed to be living and informed him he was under arrest for theft.
Cardinal-Hill became violent with police, yelling and threatening officers.
Police noted the scent of liquor during the arrest and charged Cardinal-Hill with breaching the conditions of his release.
On Oct. 5, RCMP were responding to a call regarding a different person when they spotted Cardinal-Hill consuming alcohol, contrary to his conditions. He was arrested and released on a promise to appear in court, but a few hours later, he was picked-up again for attempting to kick-in the door of a residence, breaking the screen in the process.
Police had been contacted by the homeowner, and after responding to the call, located Cardinal-Hill intoxicated.
Cardinal-Hill admitted during his appearance in court he doesn’t remember the incident clearly.
Eleven days later, the Bonnyville Liquor Mart called RCMP about a theft. Later that day, Tellier Guardian Pharmacy notified police headphones were stolen from their store the previous night. Video surveillance revealed Cardinal-Hill was the suspect.
On Oct. 17, police reviewed video footage from the Liquor Mart relating to the theft the day prior, after it was made available by the business, and confirmed Cardinal-Hill hid a bottle of alcohol under his jacket before leaving the store without paying.
After pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer, four counts of theft under $5,000, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest, three counts of failing to comply with an undertaking, and breaching his conditions, Cardinal-Hill adjourned his sentencing for the completion of a pre-sentence report.
His next court appearance is Feb. 18, 2020.