Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Dangerous driving incident results in six month sentence

Jul 13, 2023 | 1:00 PM

A man who at the time of his arrest was on court conditions not to leave the house and not to be behind the wheel of a vehicle, has received a six-month jail sentence for dangerous driving.

Keyano Ahenakew, 26, was sentenced Thursday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court.

The incident in question happened on Feb. 5 at Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.

According to facts read in court by Crown Prosecutor Jeff Summach, a woman returning home to the community after being away for a few days, was startled to find the vehicle she left parked outside her house, parked instead outside the community’s store.

She then pulled up behind the vehicle and approached the driver who she instantly recognized.

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“She says something to the effect of that’s my car,” Summach said she told Ahenakew.

Ahenakew responded by backing up, hitting the parked car in the process and then fleeing. The vehicle was later found by RCMP abandoned.

While Summach described the physical contact between the two vehicles as less of a ramming and more minor in nature, he noted it was still concerning as there were two young children sitting in the vehicle the woman had been driving. Fortunately, neither was hurt. The whole incident was captured on camera.

The agreed joint submission was for a period in custody of 180 days, followed by a two-year driving prohibition.

Summach also noted Ahenahew had a prior dangerous driving offence from July 2017 in which he received a one-year conditional sentence order and a one-year driving ban.

With credit for time spent in remand, Ahenakew’s sentence has been completed. However, he will not be released as he still has a number of outstanding matters from Whitefish and Prince Albert including a murder charge.

It has to do with the death of Jeremy Starblanket in March 2021 and three days have been set aside in November for a preliminary inquiry hearing at provincial court.

When given the opportunity to speak, Ahenakew, initially declined. However, when further prodded by Judge Healey on what he wanted to do with his life, Ahenakew replied to go to school for cosmotology and cut peoples’ hair.

When asked if he had taken any steps to chase that dream, Ahenakew replied he had not gotten around to it as he’s been in jail for the past five years.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell