ALEX McCUAIG
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One of the area's top motorcycle gang members made a brief court appearance Tuesday on more than a dozen gun and drug offences.
Brian Gougeon, 40, was arrested last week with fellow full-patch member of the Outlaws, Norman Playter, 44, along with associates Rene Luedee, 49, and Sophaly Sorm, 24.
Gougeon, Playter and Luedee were charged after a vehicle search following a traffic stop on Jan. 25 allegedly found 57 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of $5,600.
Sorm was allegedly found with 100 grams of cocaine worth $10,000 on the street in a separate vehicle.
Police say the searches were prompted by a combined RCMP, MHPS coordinated drug trafficking investigation.
Gougeon was charged with the weapons offences following two raids in Redcliff and Medicine Hat on Jan. 26.
Gougeon did not have legal representation Tuesday and had his matter adjourned until March 8.
Two assaults in an hour nets 90 days
A 23-year-old man was sentenced to three months in jail after two unprovoked assaults in the city last summer.
Randy Yaholnitsky struck his first male victim with a two-by-four after a man who was walking with his girlfriend gave the 23-year-old a cigarette just before midnight on July 25.
Just after midnight on July 26, an intoxicated Yaholnitsky smashed the glass at the downtown bus shelter before turning his attention to his second victim near the city centre TD Bank.
Yaholnitsky approached the man asking for a cigarette before striking the individual with his fists prior to the victim gaining control of the situation and calling police.
In addition to the 90-day sentence, Yaholnitsky was also ordered to provide a DNA sample and is banned from owning firearms for five years.
Alleged drug store robber trial continues
The continuation of trials involving the man accused of two 2009 drug store robberies will continue later this month and early in March.
Darryl Chesney is facing armed-robbery charges in connection with the robberies of the Crestwood and Strachan Road Pharmasave pharmacies in late 2009.
The trial for the Crestwood incident is scheduled for one more day of hearings on Feb. 21 while the second trial will continue on March 1 and 2.
Pop-a-wheelie nets fine
Evan Elton was fined $402 for careless driving after pleading guilty to pulling a 30-metre wheelie on his motorcycle and then travelling another 30 metres on a city sidewalk.
The court heard on Tuesday that on Oct. 18, 2010, an off-duty city police officer witnessed Elton pulling the stunt and travelling on the sidewalk at an estimated 55 kilometres per hour.
Elton was also handed a 60-day driving suspension.