Written by
Citizen staff
|
|
Wednesday, 03 December 2008 |
A 23-year-old man fleeing police who ran stop signs and red lights downtown during noon-hour traffic last year has been fined $1,200.
Devin Jonathan Peter Joseph of Vanderhoof must pay a $180 victim impact surcharge on top of that, and he also faces a one-year driving prohibition.
Joseph pleaded guilty this week to one count of dangerous driving on Nov. 28, 2007.
At noon on that date a constable saw Joseph driving north on George Street in a large pickup truck. The truck stopped near a hotel, and the constable observed a man get in. However, Joseph pulled away again and the constable couldn't see any passenger, court was told
Joseph approached Fourth Avenue on George and then went through it. The constable turned on his emergency lights. Joseph accelerated his pickup, court heard.
Among other things in the pursuit that followed, Joseph went through a flashing red light on Third Avenue, four-way stops and a red light at Third and Victoria. "He forced one vehicle to come to an abrupt stop to avoid a collision," said Crown counsel Geoffrey McDonald.
"This all occurred on busy downtown streets during the lunch hour," McDonald said.
Defence counsel Neil Lauder said Joseph stopped near the hotel on George Street to borrow money from a relative. However, he had borrowed the pickup from a friend and didn't have his driver's licence with him, and that was why he took off when the officer turned on his lights, defence counsel.
Joseph apologized to the court.
Prince George provincial court judge Michael Brecknell gave him till March 31, 2010, to pay the fine and surcharge.
 |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 December 2008 )
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
