The Crown has updated charges against a woman accused of driving impaired into Yellowknife’s Explorer Hotel on Christmas Eve, and dropped four charges of assault with a weapon.
RCMP had initially charged Natallia Salodkina with four counts of assault with a weapon, alleging she drove into the lobby of the hotel owned by Nunastar Properties on December 24, 2025 and hit four people with a 2015 Buick Encore.
Police said at the time no one was seriously injured in the crash.
RCMP alleged that the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle appeared intoxicated and said she later provided breath samples at the Yellowknife police detachment that were more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers.
Salodkina was also charged by police with one count each of mischief exceeding $5,000, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, impaired operation, and impaired operation with a blood alcohol level higher than 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
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In July, the prosecution dropped all eight charges against Salodkina, replacing them with one count each of:
- dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm;
- impaired operation causing bodily harm;
- impaired operation with a blood alcohol level higher than 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood causing bodily harm; and
- willful operation of a vehicle in a manner likely to constitute mischief causing danger to life or mischief in relation to property.
Salodkina has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In an email, Crown prosecutor Morgan Fane told Cabin Radio that Salodkina’s charges were streamlined from eight to four counts in consultation with the RCMP.
“Ms Salodkina was initially charged with assault with a weapon; however, on review of the investigation it was determined that that offence could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt,” Fane wrote.
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Fane pointed to Public Prosecution Service of Canada standards, which direct prosecutors to only proceed with charges that have a reasonable prospect of conviction and when prosecution is in the public interest.
The Crown also amended a release order for Salodkina. She is no longer required to abide by a curfew or abstain from entering establishments licensed to sell alcohol while she awaits trial.
Salodkina is set to face trial on May 17, 2027. The trial has been scheduled for one week.
