Northern Alberta teen gets $1,200 fine for driving 106 km in a school zone

A Barrhead teen has been fined $1,200 for driving three times the speed limit in a school zone.

Justice Carrie-Anne Downey sentenced Eastin Iver Storseth to the fine and a seven-day driving suspension after he pleaded guilty to after he pleaded guilty to exceeding the maximum speed limit during a Sept. 10 Barrhead Court of Justice session.

Initially, Downey was scheduled to sentence Storseth on Aug. 28. However, the provincial traffic Crown prosecutor for the session, R. Rees, suggested that the teen delay entering a guilty plea until the next court date if she was going to accept her and duty counsel's joint submission as it included a driving suspension.

She stated that the driving suspension would have most likely caused him to lose his summer job as his employment required him to have a driver's licence.

Provincial traffic Crown prosecutor C. Noble, acting on instructions from his Aug. 28 colleague, recommended the same $1,200, seven-day sentence Storseth accepted during his first court appearance.

The accused was travelling 106 km/h in a County of Barrhead School zone, Noble said. 

The infraction happened in the Dunstable School zone on Highway 651 near Range Road 22 at just after 3 p.m. on April 23.

The location has been identified as a notorious location for speeding.

At the May 7 County of Barrhead council meeting, community peace officer Shae Guy said he was working with public works staff to improve speed limit signage in the municipality, especially in school zones. He also noted that he was working with Pembina Hills School Division on creating public messaging to slow drivers down when passing through school zones.

Noble asked Storseth if any other occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the offence. Storseth said one of his baseball teammates was in the vehicle with him.

Downey accepted the joint submission, asking how much time he needed to pay the fine.

Storseth said four months, adding he wanted to get it out of the way before he started school in January.

Noble interjected that although the suspension is only seven days, it would not be reinstated immediately, and that Storseth would have to go to registries and apply for reinstatement.

"Go through their process, or you'll end up in an even bigger mess," he said.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com