A 36-year-old Yellowknife woman faces a number of charges after a pick-up truck police say she was driving crashed into Sushi Cafe last month, causing significant damage to the Franklin Avenue restaurant.

Police allege a woman was driving a stolen white Ford F-150 pick-up truck when it demolished the dining room wall of the restaurant in the early hours of July 15. The truck remained partially inside the front of the building for hours after the crash as police investigated.

The crash caused a section of the building to collapse, sending piles of debris into the restaurant in what was described as being completely destroyed.

Shortly after the incident, Sushi Cafe representatives told Yellowknifer they believed the collision could have been a deliberate attack on their business. But said there was no indication the vehicle was being used as a weapon.

Sushi Cafe was since re-opened following the crash, but with the major damage sustained, owners were forced to operate in 24-person dining room, pending reconstruction of the main area. Before the crash, the Sushi Cafe could seat up to 42 people.

No one was inside at the time of the crash.

Kimberly Ongahak is charged with impaired driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and taking a vehicle without consent, stated a news release from Yellowknife Thursday.

Ongahak has been released from custody and is due to appear in court on Sept. 11.

Accused in downtown stabbing denied bail

An Inuvik man accused of slashing another man in the head during a stabbing downtown late last month will remain in jail after being denied bail.

Kurtis Thrasher, 34, is charged with aggravated assault and failing to comply with court conditions in connection with a July 27 stabbing that left a man with gashes to his head.

The incident occurred just after 8 p.m. at 49 Street and Franklin Avenue, one of the busiest intersections in the city.

The victim, a man in his 30s, was medevaced to an Edmonton hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

On Aug. 10, Thrasher's lawyer sought to have the accused released on bail during an appearance in Yellowknife's Justice of the Peace Court, but the application was denied.

A ban prevents further details related the alleged offences from being published.

 Undercover dial-a-dope bust nets jail time

A Yellowknife woman who sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer received a six-month jail sentence in NWT territorial court last week.

Destiny Rabesca, 24, was sentenced on Aug. 10 after being convicted on one count of trafficking cocaine.

In March of last year, the court heard, Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒檚 Federal Investigation Unit initiated a drug trafficking probe in the city, focused primarily on suspected SA国际影视传媒渄ial-a-dopeSA国际影视传媒� phone numbers.

Operators of SA国际影视传媒渄ial-a-dopeSA国际影视传媒� lines connect buyers to illicit drugs, often arranging meeting places and the quantity of drugs sold.

On March 16, 2017, an undercover officer called a suspected dial-a-dope number to buy cocaine, and, after several attempts, a woman answered.

The woman and the officer arranged to meet at a Yellowknife apartment. Rabesca sold the undercover police officer one piece of crack cocaine for $80. Police arrested Rabesca minutes later.

With credit for time spent in remand custody SA国际影视传媒� 70 days SA国际影视传媒� Rabesca has just under four months left to serve.

Jury acquits man accused of sexual assault, assault

A jury found a 21-year-old Yellowknife man not guilty of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend following a two-day trial last week.

The man, who isnSA国际影视传媒檛 being named due to the domestic nature of the case, was accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend in July 2016, and then assaulting her a month later.

Both the defendant and the complainant took the stand to testify during the trial.

Following closing submissions from the Crown's lawyer and the defendantSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer Thursday, the 12-person jury returned with a not-guilty verdict on both counts.

The jury deliberated for about three hours.