By Charles Lefebvre

Man facing mischief charge following river search assigned to mental health diversion program

Feb 22, 2018 | 9:31 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A man arrested last year for allegedly making a false report of a man falling into the South Saskatchewan River could have his charges dropped if he completes a program.

Drew Tweed, 41, made a brief court appearance in Medicine Hat provincial court on Wednesday, where he was assigned to the mental health diversion program.

The program, run by Alberta Health Services, provides diversion to the mental health system from the justice system for adults who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder or are suspected to have a mental disorder and are charged with a less serious offence.

“The Crown has to agree to refer the charges, so the charges would have to be appropriate for them to refer,” said Paul Hawthorne with AHS, who helps administer the program. “Once they refer to us, then what we do is have them come in for a comprehensive assessment. That way, we can really go through what happened during the time of the offence, we can look at their medical histories, psychiatric histories, that sort of thing.”

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The program has been in place since 2010 in Medicine Hat.

Tweed was charged with one count of public mischief on June 15, in connection with a search on the South Saskatchewan River on June 7.

Redcliff RCMP, Southeast Alberta Search and Rescue and the Medicine Hat Fire Service were called to the South Saskatchewan River after receiving a call that a man had fallen into the river. Authorities searched the river for nearly 12 hours before the search was called off.

Medicine Hat police determined the call was false due to a lack of physical evidence and “inconsistencies in the witness statements,” according to a news release at the time.

The search was not connected to the search of a British Columbia man who disappeared in the river near Redcliff on May 31. That man’s body has never been found.

As part of the program, people assessed are offered assistance from agencies over the next three months. Goals are also identified, and Hawthorne says successful completion of the program could result in the charge being dropped by the crown.

“If the clients are successful in meeting their goals, connecting with services, engaging with service providers, following treatment recommendations, then after the three months, we would request the referred charges get withdrawn,” he said.

Tweed returns to provincial court on May 30.