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KAMLOOPS - A man who fired a handgun near his mother's home in Kamloops after a drunken fight will spend the next 18 months in prison.

Colton Mathias, 26, pleaded guilty to several charges in Kamloops Supreme Court today, Sept. 29.

Court heard that on April 16 of this year, Mathias had been drinking all day before his ex-girlfriend's birthday party. Stacy Wiehe is also the mother of his child.

Mathias and his girlfriend at the time, Monique Flukinger, showed up to Wiehe's birthday party and Mathias was intoxicated.

He ended up passing out on a couch, but when he awoke he tried to pick a fight with Wiehe's new boyfriend.

"Mr. Mathias took a bit of a beating," Crown prosecutor Joel Gold told the court.

Mathias had a black eye and a fat lip after the altercation. He and Flukinger, 20 at the time, left the party to go to a friend's house. 

When they were set to leave, court heard Mathias wanted to drive his car to his mother's house. Flukinger told him she wouldn't allow him to drive drunk and that she would drive.

Around this time, Mathias texted Wiehe saying he was going to "fire bomb" her house.

The couple arrived to Mathias's mother's Kootenay Way home. Mathias went inside while Flukinger waited in the car.

Court heard Mathias came back outside with a shotgun and Flukinger stepped out of the car.

Mathias fired a shot into the ground near the car and Flukinger got back into the driver's side of the vehicle. Mathias told her to open the trunk so he could put his gun in there, but she said no.

He began banging the butt of the gun against the driver's side window, trying to break it.

Mathias fired another shot into the ground in front of the car and Flukinger called Wiehe to tell her the situation. Wiehe told her to call a cab and leave the area.

Flukinger did that but called Mathias while she was in the cab. He told her his gun was jammed and he was going to get it fixed.

Court heard Mathias then went to his friend's house, where he was talking about committing suicide.

His friend took his gun away and refused to give it back.

Mathias was arrested that night and has been in custody ever since, after being denied bail earlier this year.

Defence lawyer Don Campbell told the court alcohol is Mathias's biggest problem and one he has been working on through the years.

Campbell told the court Mathias was an elite athlete until 2009 when he got ran over by a car.

"Mr. Mathias has had a bit of a rollercoaster of a life," Campbell told the court.

Both Campbell and Gold credited Flukinger for dealing with the situation so well.

"Her brave conduct... it's commendable for a 20-year-old woman," Gold said.

Judge Hope Hyslop gave Mathias the opportunity to speak before he was sentenced and he told the court he was working on his alcohol addiction.

"I feel very remorseful," Mathias said. "I have been working toward bettering myself."

Hyslop gave Mathias credit for owning up to his issues.

"I think it's helpful you recognize the need to change your life," Hyslop said. "I wish you the very best."

Mathias will spend the next 18 months in prison and getting treatment. He will also be put on a two-year probation after his release and face a lifetime weapons prohibition.

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