Bonnyville RCMP were called to assist peace officers with a possibly intoxicated woman who wouldn't comply with their demands.
Rhonda Wutzke, 27, was behind the wheel of a Ford F150 in the ditch on Jan. 11. When peace officers attempted to approach the vehicle, she tried to take off.
RCMP attended and were told that all verbal commands from the officers were being ignored by the female driver, who was believed to be impaired.
Police approached the vehicle and noticed the female driver, later identified as Wutzke, holding a meth pipe.
Using their baton, the officer smashed the window and reached in to unlock the doors.
When asked to get out of the truck, Wutzke refused.
She was removed by police and arrested.
Officers repeatedly asked for her name, but she wouldn't identify herself. At the detachment, further investigation revealed Wutzke was on a Canada-wide driving prohibition following an impaired driving charge in July 2018. Wutzke was also bound by an Oct. 3, 2018 undertaking in relation to charges of mischief and resisting a peace officer.
During her appearance in court on Tuesday, Jan. 15, Wutzke pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle while prohibited, resisting a peace officer, and failing to comply with an undertaking.
The Crown was seeking 60 days. Prosecutor Jody Woligroski noted the Frog Lake First Nation female's record was recent and related.
According to acting duty counsellor David MacLeod, Wutzke suffers from addiction issues that started with alcohol but escalated to methamphetamine.
He believes there are "significant underlying factors" when it comes to her addiction issues.
Instead of serving 60 days in custody, MacLeod was asking for jail time and one-year probation.
"She very much wants a probation order to assist with her addiction issues," he expressed.
While Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams wasn't completely on-board with probation, stating it was "simply setting her up to fail," she sentenced Wutzke to 30 days in custody, a one-year driving prohibition, and one-year probation.
"Despite my reluctance... I'm going to put her on probation."
Wutzke had served eight enhanced days of her sentence as of her court appearance.
Williams stressed that a single breach of her probation would land Wutzke back in prison.
The conditions of her order are to keep the peace, be of good behaviour, reside at an approved address, report to probation, refrain from the consumption or possession of drugs or alcohol, provide a sample when requested by a police officer if they suspect she is intoxicated, and attend all treatment and counselling as recommended by her probation officer.
Wutzke will appear in court on March 26 for a review of how her probation is going.
