Man who assaulted officer was high on meth
As he swam across the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, flailing and yelling, Curtis McKenzie was high on meth and determined to get away from the police officers and fire crews trying to rescue him.
He would periodically dip under water as officers tried to grab onto him from a fire rescue boat near the University Bridge last Thursday night, Crown prosecutor Frank Impey said during McKenzie’s sentencing hearing this week.
One officer leaned his body over the boat’s edge while a second officer held onto his belt. McKenzie refused to get on the boat, yelling “f--k the police,” so the officer dangling over the boat grabbed hold of him and tried dragging him to shore. McKenzie resisted even harder and pulled the officer further down, according to the Crown.
Court heard the officer punched McKenzie so he would calm down and stop pulling him into the water, but McKenzie broke free and punched the officer twice in the face. Police eventually got him to shore and had to carry him up to a waiting police car.
On Tuesday, McKenzie, 25, pleaded guilty to assault and mischief for breaking a sprinkler head and causing a flood in his detention cell. He was sentenced to five months in jail, consecutive to the time remaining on an aggravated assault sentence for which he had been on statutory release.
“I just can’t believe what happened,” McKenzie said in court, adding he does not know how he ended up in the river. “I feel so bad. There’s no excuses for what happened. I take full responsibility.”
His lawyer, Kim Armstrong, said McKenzie had been doing well on statutory release: he was sober and secured a job; but when stressful situations arose, he coped by mixing alcohol with meth.
McKenzie said he let down a lot of people, including his support network at STR8 UP, a local organization that helps people leave gangs and live healthier lifestyles. Judge Brent Klause urged McKenzie to continue his involvement with STR8 UP and stay away from drugs and alcohol.
He also asked the man about the bandages covering his face. McKenzie said he became suicidal and cut his nose off while in solitary confinement.