BOYLE — An area frequent flyer will stay behind bars for the foreseeable future after extending his keep in jail for main officers on a low-risk automobile chase in a stolen truck.
In Boyle Courtroom of Justice Aug. 13, 36-year-old Chad Ray Howse pleaded responsible to at least one rely of flight from a police officer whereas driving and one rely of possession of stolen property over $5,000 as a part of a joint submission.
Justice Robert Shaigec accepted the submission and handed down the Crown’s requested sentence of 100 days in custody, a one-year driving prohibition, and a forfeiture order for stolen gadgets.
“It’s a sentence that’s consistent with the general public curiosity and acknowledges that the crimes dedicated are comparatively severe,” stated Shaigec.
“Flight from cops virtually all the time ends in a jail sentence, and appropriately so due to the hazard it creates for the police and different harmless motorists on the roadways.”
Courtroom heard on the night of Feb. 29, 2024, Boyle RCMP officers observed a suspicious automobile when responding to a report of a break and enter in progress at a rural property close to the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. The automobile fled when officers engaged their lights and sirens and continued to flee after a tire deflation gadget punctured one tire.
The automobile grew to become caught on an unmarked path, and the driving force, later recognized as Chad Howse, fled on foot however was apprehended not removed from the automobile. The truck in query, decided to have been stolen from Lac La Biche Feb. 16, was spray painted black and had no licence plate.
As a part of the submission between Crown prosecutor Taylor Noble and defence counsel Larissa Simply, two counts every of possession of a weapon, non-residential break and enter, and driving whereas unauthorized had been withdrawn.
Additionally withdrawn had been single counts of transporting liquor in a automobile, harmful operation of a automobile, driving with out insurance coverage, and failure to adjust to enterprise situations.
Noble listed Howse’s responsible plea and potential triable points with prosecuting the flight as mitigating components however cited his earlier felony document as aggravating.
“We are able to see a number of considerably associated driving offences; some impaired’s and driving whereas prohibited in 2010, however no earlier flights. With regard to property, no earlier possession of stolen property however id frauds from 2021.”
Shaigec acknowledged the agricultural setting of the flight did scale back the seriousness of the offence as few different drivers had been in danger, and famous the probably gradual chase following the puncturing of a tire acted as one other mitigating issue.
Simply made a number of submissions on her shopper’s behalf, noting he has a younger daughter and pertaining to elements of his private life.
“Previous to his incarceration, Mr. Howse was working as a firefighter. As I perceive it, that’s his plan as soon as he’s finally launched is to proceed firefighting,” stated Simply.
She additionally detailed elements of his childhood, describing his youth as influenced by witnessing home violence and drug and alcohol abuse.
“He did inform me he used to battle with alcohol. He began utilizing marijuana on the age of 14; on the age of 20 he started scuffling with crack cocaine; and on the age of 23 he started scuffling with methamphetamine.”
Howse, who appeared by way of CCTV from the Edmonton Remand Centre, declined to remark, however Simply added he has expressed a want to handle his dependancy points.
His 100 days of custody will start following the sentence he’s at the moment serving on unrelated expenses, and the year-long driving prohibition will start after his consecutive custody is accomplished. No victim-fine surcharge was imposed.
Lexi Freehill, TownandCountryToday.com
