A photo taken at the time of the incident Oct. 4, 2020. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Crime

‘You are a troubled young woman’: drive-by participant receives 15 month jail sentence

Jan 21, 2021 | 2:15 PM

Ensuring the proper supports were in place, and not based solely on hypotheticals, played a role Thursday in the 15 month sentence handed to a young woman involved in a drive-by shooting.

Matilda Keenatch-Yellowhead, 18, had previously entered guilty pleas to resisting arrest, being an occupant in a vehicle where a firearm was present, and also being accessory after the fact.

The case dates back to the evening of Oct. 4, 2020, when a man dressed all in red was shot multiple times, near the corner of 28th St. and sixth Ave. E. According to the statement of facts read in court, the man was shot “seven-eight times,” but fortunately none of the wounds were life threatening. The motive for the attack has not yet been discussed but there have been suggestions of gang related ties.

The suspect vehicle, a black SUV, was later located at an address in the east flat area, after crashing into a fence. Inside the vehicle, police found ammunition as well as a number of weapons including a rifle and a sawed off shotgun. Police also learned through their investigation the vehicle was the same one sought by Meadow Lake RCMP, following an armed robbery on Oct. 3.

A photo taken of the victim talking to police. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

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Following the actual shooting incident, the vehicle had travelled north of the city, stopped for gas, and then returned to the city. Keenatch-Yellowhead, whose involvement in the crime was limited to sitting in the passenger seat, and paying for the gas, was eventually found by police, hiding behind a garbage bin. According to the statement of facts read in court, she initially told the officers she was not part of any gang, and had no knowledge of what happened, and claimed she was sleeping. She also claimed not to know the vehicle had been stolen.

Defence lawyer Christoph Meier was seeking a sentence of time served, noting his client’s age, lack of involvement, and also the fact her criminal record, limited to youth offence, had no history of violence. Meier explained that his client, upon her release, had plans to move to Edmonton to be with family, and complete her Grade 12 at a school which offered programming and counselling for “troubled youth.”

Seeking a two year jail sentence, Crown lawyer John Morall said the plan being proposed was not much of a plan, and offered limited chance for success.

“We’re just gonna send her off to Edmonton to a place we don’t know, with probation officers that don’t know her, and just hope that she will go here or go there,” he said.

Noting Keenatch-Yellowhead was not the shooter, Morall said the crime itself was still very serious and by paying for the gas showed some level of known involvement. He referred to gun violence as indiscriminate.

“When you are shooting someone in broad daylight, there’s more than just the person you are shooting at. You are endangering everyone around that,” he said.

While noting her early guilty plea, and “horrific upbringing,” Morral said he feared Keentach -Yellowhead would be right back in same place upon release, unless the proper supports were in place to address her addictions issues.

“The worst thing, and I’ve seen it often over the 25 to 30 years I’ve been practicing, is that basically people say well I hope to do this or hope to do that, and they get out and there’ s nothing there for them and they are right back in jail,” he said.

When given the opportunity to speak in court, Keenath-Yellowhead said she knew what she did was wrong.

“I’m just looking at the future and working on getting my daughter back … 10 steps forward instead of 10 steps back,” she said.

Judge’s decision

In the end Judge F. Daunt sentenced Keenatch-Yellowhead to 15 months but gave her credit for roughly six months spent in remand custody. Keenatch-Yellowhead is also prohibited for life from possessing a restricted weapon.

“You are a troubled young woman and I think you are going to need some substantial time to sort yourself out,” Daunt said. “You are not ready yet.”

The man alleged to have been driving the stolen SUV, D.J. Montgrand, is scheduled be in court Feb. 15. As per testimony heard in court, the actual shooter has not been caught.

Prince Albert Police have confirmed for paNOW the investigation is ongoing.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell