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High-speed chase tops 180 km/hr
Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
A boy, who was a passenger in a vehicle which led High Prairie RCMP on a chase which neared speeds of 180 km per hour last summer, paid for his part of the crime in High Prairie youth court Oct. 19.
The boy, who appeared in youth court via closed circuit TV from the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre, pleaded guilty to six charges and received a stern lecture from Judge G.W. Paul during sentencing.
“Your criminal behaviour put you in great jeopardy,” said Judge G.W. Paul. “If you continue to commit criminal offences you will spend more time where you are at.”
The boy pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property, possession of an illegal substance, failing to appear in youth court and three charges of failing to comply with court conditions. Although now 18, his name cannot be published because of provisions in the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He was 17 at the time of the crimes.
On the day of the crime, police attempted to pull over the vehicle the boy was in, Crown prosecutor Cameron Jose told youth court.
“The vehicle then started to speed away on Highway 2 west of High Prairie,” said Jose.
It turned south on Highway 747 to Sunset House, then east toward Valleyview. The vehicle then turned onto Highway 2 and drove into Valleyview past a school.
“Spike belts were deployed,” said Jose. “The tires were damaged.”
Eventually, with the help of Valleyview RCMP, the three occupants of the vehicle ran into a house where police arrested them.
“He was not the operator of the vehicle,” said Jose of the boy before youth court, “but he should have known (the vehicle) was stolen.”
Police searched the boy and found a small amount of marijuana. A small bag was tossed from the vehicle during the pursuit, youth court heard.
Jose concluded his submission by telling Judge Paul the boy violated his court orders by possessing drugs, being in a vehicle and by not keeping the peace and behaving. He also asked Judge Paul to seize the dugs and the $2,410.65 found on the boy believing it to be from the proceeds of crime.
High Prairie lawyer Murray Pelletier spoke for the boy, who now lives in Edmonton and is unemployed.
Judge Paul said there were several aggravating factors in the case, the most serious being the high speed of the chase over a long period of time. He placed the boy on a year of probation under strict conditions including a curfew and that he take assessment and treatment as ordered.
“I will be mindful of the need to help you address the issues causing you to behave the way you do,” he said.
The boy was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service work by the end of his probation order.
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