A Sundre-area male charged with assault following a road rage incident that led to a physical altercation in an Olds parking lot is seeking alternative measures.
Following a June 26 court proceeding in Didsbury, Jim Cammaert, 46, was scheduled for further deliberation on Sept. 25.
"The alternative measures program is offered to persons involved in minor offences that either do not have a criminal record or, on the program's discretion, to those who have less than two offences on their record" that are not recent, states the Student Legal Services of Edmonton website.
The province's court checks media service said Cammaert had no pre-existing files or charges in the system.
The alternative measures program's intention is to allow persons involved in minor offences who have little experience with the criminal justice system a chance to avoid a criminal record. Some Criminal Code offences the program can be applied to include the following: theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000, assault, fraud, and uttering a forged document.
On March 11, Cammaert allegedly confronted an adult male from the Olds area because of rocks that were thrown up from the victim's vehicle into his own, previously reported Olds RCMP detachment's Cpl. Michael Black, adding police arrested the suspect that same day and proceeded to press the assault charge.
"The injuries were fairly minor," said Black about the condition of the victim, who sought medical treatment but was not required to stay in hospital. Had the injuries been more grievous, the charge police laid would have been more serious, such as assault causing bodily harm, the corporal added.
Drivers who are for whatever reason losing their patience with other motorists should take a moment to reconsider before losing their temper and resorting to a regrettable physical confrontation, he advised.
"Take a second sober thought; take a breath. Are you going to care about it in a year?"
As for anyone who might find him- or herself the unwitting target of an angry driver, Black urges caution.
The officer said people on the receiving end of road rage have no way of knowing the aggressor's mindset or whether that individual might potentially be armed with any kind of weapon, from a tire iron to a knife or even a firearm.
"Stay in your vehicle, lock the doors and call the police."
Although there are occasionally such incidents occurring along the Highway 2 corridor, the officer said he could not recollect a similar incident in Olds during his time in that community.
During his three years of service with the Olds RCMP, Black said this case of road rage was a "one off, for sure" in that municipality.
