By David F. Rooney
Dakota Martens of Revelstoke was sentenced in Revelstoke Provincial Court today to a year’s probation for assaulting RCMP Cpl. Rod Wiebe in the bar at the Regent Inn.
Martens pled guilty to the charge which stemmed from a May 9 incident at the hotel that began when a bouncer tried to bar a minor he knew from entering. Martens insisted the younger man be allowed entry. He was told to leave the pub but refused to do so and the police were summoned.
Crown Prosecutor Greg Koturbash told Provincial Court Judge Mark Takahashi that when Wiebe arrived he “approached the accused and told him he wanted him to leave.”
“The accused asked if the police were going to make him him leave,” Koturbash said, adding that when Wiebe turned to speak into his radio and summon backup, he was struck from behind by Martens, knocking him to the floor. He sustained cuts to the bridge of his nose and his forehead.
Martens fled out the back of the pub but Wiebe leaped to his feet, pursued and caught him.
“It’s the Crown’s position that incarceration should be considered,” Koturbash said. “Everyday police officers place themselves in harm’s way and they should be supported.”
He also noted that while this may have been the first time Martens has come into direct, formal contact with police it is not the only incident for which he may be held accountable. Koturbash told the court he was arrested in Nakusp three weeks ago in connection with a break-and- enter and an assault.
Johnston told Judge Takahashi that his client did not recall speaking with Wiebe and Martens also told the judge that he went down to the detachment shortly after the incident to apologize personally to Wiebe.
Martens is a 20-year-old mechanic who has an 18-month-old child by his common law wife. He has alcohol problems that he says he can beat.
Judge Takahashi sentenced Martens to 12 months probation. He also banned him from entering the Regent Inn, prohibited him from consuming alcohol and ordered him to apologize to the bouncer at the Regent. He must also submit a DNA sample to the National DNA Data Bank.
