Arrest derails B.C. woman’s vacation in N.B.
Christine Blaire Hunter, 44, refused breath demand in Fredericton then skipped court two decades ago, but she was busted when visiting New Brunswick capital last week
A British Columbia woman’s list of sights to see while visiting Fredericton likely didn’t include the inside of a city police holding cell, but an outstanding warrant put it on her itinerary expectedly.
Christine Blaire Hunter, 44, appeared in Fredericton provincial court in custody Friday to answer to criminal charges that were almost two decades old.
She pleaded guilty Friday to charges of refusing a breathalyzer demand and failing to attend court.
Crown prosecutor Geoffrey Hutchin said a city police officer spotted a Jeep Grand Cherokee travelling the wrong way down Queen Street at 4:44 a.m. Christmas Eve in 2005.
The officer went to check out the situation and came upon the vehicle, which was stopped but still running, he said, and Hunter was in the driver’s seat.
The prosecutor said when the officer asked Hunter why she’d been driving the wrong way down a one-way street, she asked, “Where am I?”
She was surprised to learn she was in Fredericton, court heard, and her speech was slurred and eyes bloodshot.
“Hunter was confused,” Hutchin said. “At this point, Hunter was very argumentative.”
The officer ended up walking her to the police station, also on Queen Street, he said, and Hunter, then 26 years old, told the police officer the force should be concerning itself with more serious matters.
“She stated… ‘They should be dealing with crackheads,’” the prosecutor said.
Hunter, while continuing to be unco-operative with police, refused to provide a breath sample for a breathalyzer test, he said, and she was released on a promise to appear in early 2006.
She didn’t show up for that court date, court heard, and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
That warrant remained outstanding until last week, when Hunter was encountered while visiting Fredericton.
Hutchin said at the time, the standard fine for refusing a breath demand was $600, but because her behaviour toward police on the night in question was aggravating, he asked the court to elevate it to $850. He also asked the court to impose an additional fine of $125 for failing to attend court.
Defence lawyer Emily Cochrane said Hunter has been living in rural British Columbia since the incident and now has a 17-month-old child.
She said her client can pay fines immediately.
Judge Anne Dugas-Horsman said Hunter’s decision to turn her back on the outstanding charges was a poor one and was “a very bad way to impact a holiday here.”
She imposed the requested fines totalling $975, plus additional victim-fine surcharges that came to $146.25.
The judge also prohibited Hunter from driving anywhere in Canada for a year.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
"They should be dealing with crackheads"
Well she wasn't wrong about that... City of Fredericton spent 60% of its budget on public safety (to fund Karens against drunk driving enforcement) while the place has been surrendered to drug dealers + their unhoused, violent customers.
How was she apprehended? Traffic stop or did she just turn herself in?