MEADOW LAKE – The Crown withdrew several charges against a woman charged with allegedly continuing to drive a car with its roof ripped off after colliding with a semi. Charges of impaired driving, dangerous driving, and failing to stop after an accident were withdrawn.
Those charges against 27-year-old Shayla M. McDonald were withdrawn in Meadow Lake Provincial Court Monday. She pleaded guilty to impaired driving and flight from police and was given an 18-month driving prohibition according to information on file at the courthouse.
McDonald was charged in December 2021 after Glaslyn RCMP received a report that a car struck a semi when the driver had attempted to pass another vehicle on the shoulder of Highway 4 about 32 kilometres south of Meadow Lake.
Police say that vehicle didn’t stop or remain at the scene and continued driving down the highway.
Around the same time, Meadow Lake RCMP got a call that a car with extensive damage was driving northbound on Highway 4. The windshield was destroyed and the roof was ripped off.
RCMP located the damaged car, which was headed towards Meadow Lake and tried to pull it over but the driver didn’t stop. The police continued to follow the vehicle, which drove through the city and stopped at a home on the east side.
After determining that the driver wasn’t injured, she was taken to the Meadow Lake RCMP detachment, reassessed for injuries and charged with impaired driving, impaired driving while over the legal limit, dangerous driving, flight from police, and failure to stop after a collision.
Meadow Lake RCMP previously said that McDonald was four times over the legal alcohol limit and that they found six empty and one half-full alcohol bottles inside the car.
Story updated to reflect that McDonald pleaded guilty to impaired driving and flight from police and was given an 18-month driving prohibition.
