A 29-year-old man pleaded guilty on May 18 at Steinbach Provincial Court to mischief and drunk driving following an incident on May 22, 2022.

According to the Crown, at 7:46 p.m., Casper Riley White, from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, was intoxicated when he and a friend drove the band’s Chevy Silverado into the front entrance of Lumber One in Falcon Lake. Not being able to get the truck back out of the building, White and his friend exited the car and threw the keys into the bush. The two were later discovered walking on a golf course, heading towards the highway, by police.

White was taken into custody and given a breathalyzer at 10:30 p.m. It registered 170 mg and 160 mg of alcohol in his blood; twice the legal limit.

White had just received his driver’s licence two months prior to the accident.

White’s lawyer said this was a first offence for the accused and that he had taken a number of courses in business and self-development in order to improve his chances of getting employment. She said his parents were in the residential school system. She also said that when the incident with the truck happened, his mother had died and he was coping with the effects of COVID-19 in the community where he lived. White was working as a security officer on the reserve and as an enforcement officer for COVID-19 resulting in experiences that were difficult for him to deal with.

Band chief Kevin Redsky said he knows White to be a “very intelligent young man” and he hopes to recommend him for employment on the reserve as a number of businesses are opening soon in the community.

As for White, he said he realized he “could have killed someone that day” and that he will “never drink like that again.” He said he doesn’t “crave” alcohol as he once did and is around people who don’t abuse alcohol which has helped him be more responsible.

As this was a first offence and taking into account White’s Indigenous heritage and that no one was injured, Judge Stacy Cawley gave White a 30-day conditional sentence where he has a curfew and has to abstain from alcohol and other intoxicating substances. He was also given an 18-month driving prohibition and a one-year unsupervised probation not to go near Lumber One. Lumber One sustained $24,127 in damages, but since the owners had insurance the judge imposed a $1,500 fine on White instead of restitution.