A trial date will be set for an Alberta man charged by North Battleford RCMP once the Crown works out officer availability to testify.
Lowen Diehl, 36, was arrested by North Battleford RCMP and charged with drug-related offences.
Police say they seized 17 kg of drugs and a large amount of Canadian currency from his vehicle. They say the methamphetamine could be broken down into about 150,000 individual doses and the cocaine could be broken down to about 1,000 individual doses.
The federal Crown prosecutor is proceeding by way of indictment against Diehl.
The charges against Diehl haven’t been proven in court.
According to RCMP, they had received a call at about 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2020, from a citizen reporting seeing an SUV being driven erratically. Police located and stopped the SUV just west of Battleford on Highway 16.
In January Diehl was granted bail for $10,000 cash and a $10,000 surety. His bail conditions stipulate that he remain at his home in Alberta on 24-hour house arrest.
In March the court heard there was a potential deal between the Crown and defence and that defence counsel was waiting for instructions from Diehl on whether to accept the offer. At Diehl’s April 8 appearance, Alberta lawyer Mona Karout appeared by telephone as an agent for the lawyer representing Diehl and requested the adjournment.
Diehl’s matter returns to North Battleford Provincial Court on April 20 where he is expected to enter an election and plea.
