A Prince George man was sentenced Thursday to a further month in jail for a series of offences that included leading police on a chase in a stolen car and attacking an inmate at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre.
In all, Kyler Gregory Thomas Stevens, 21, was sentenced to 13 months in jail but received credit of one year for time served in custody prior to sentencing.
Ten months of the total was for dangerous driving and flight from a peace officer from an incident in mid April.
It began when RCMP received a report that he had left his grandmother's home in her car.
Had Stevens pulled over when an RCMP officer spotted him later the same day, he likely would have faced the relatively minor charge of taking a vehicle without permission, the court heard.
Instead, he took off and drove through a chain link fence at the back of a parking lot for an Enemark Crescent apartment building, leaving behind on of the car's licence plates in the process.
Early the next morning, RCMP received a tip Stevens was heading up to the Hart and, at about 1:40 a.m., he was seen near the intersection of Highway 97 North and Austin Road.
When the RCMP officer activated his lights, Stevens turned around and drove onto some grass to escape. Stevens took off along Austin Road at a high speed, blew through a red light and into the oncoming lane to avoid another RCMP officer.
From there, he swerved onto another grassy area and fast enough to jump a ditch and into the adjacent parking lot. Stevens speeded out of the area and northeast on Glenview Drive, reaching an estimated 120 km/h.
With the officer pursuing from a distance, Stevens then turned down a narrow trail, going airborne as he sped over the ruts. Stevens soon lost control and the car went off the trail, jumped over a tree and ran into an abandoned burnt-out car before coming to a stop.
The pursuing RCMP officer's vehicle slid in the mud and into the back of Stevens' car. Stevens got out and tried to run into the thick nearby bush before attempting to hide behind the abandoned car he slammed into.
There was some dispute during the sentencing hearing as to whether Stevens had turned around to confront the officer or to surrender, but after a struggle he was apprehended.
Although much of the incident occurred during the early morning hours, Stevens' actions were still a danger because they were carried out within a populated area, it was noted.
While at PGRCC on the charges he subsequently faced, Stevens and two others attacked an inmate serving time for sexually assaulting his teenaged babysitter. While one of the others carried out most of the assault, Stevens got up on a chair and kicked the man in the face.
For that, Stevens was issued a concurrent term of three months in jail. He had also spent 12 days in segregation following the attack, the court heard.
Stevens must also serve 18 months probation once he's completed his time in custody. He was also prohibited from driving for three years and ordered to pay $1,500 restitution for the loss of the vehicle, which was a write off, and $1,407 for the chain link fence.
Stevens pleaded guilty to all the charges for which he was sentenced. Theft of a motor vehicle was among the charges that were stayed.
Stevens, who has been a ward of the state since he was two years old, has built up a fairly lengthy adult criminal record. He is addicted to heroin and methamphetamine but has been taking suboxone while in custody to manage the problem.
He also has a job lined up once out of custody, the court was told.
