Man Charged in Whoop-Up Drive Shut-Down Makes Brief Court Appearance

LETHBRIDGE – A lawyer offically went on the record Thursday (Aug. 25) for 20-year Blaine Sweetgrass, the man accused in an incident that forced the shut-down of Whoop-Up Drive last week.
 
On August 18, 2016, Police responded to a 911 call from a suicidal male, who said he had a firearm and wanted to engage police. When police arrived he fled, driving through the city at speeds exceeding 100 km/h.
 
The vehicle was eventually disabled in the eastbound lanes of Whoop Up Drive and traffic in both directions was closed shortly after 5:00-am. An officer on scene and a crisis negotiator were in constant contact with the armed man, who remained inside his vehicle for several hours. Around 5:51 a.m., he surrendered to police.

A loaded SKS rifle along with five full clips and one partial clip of steel core ammunition (54 rounds total), were seized from the vehicle.

Having just taken on the case, the new lawyer for Sweetgrass asked for an adjournment to September 6.