A 27-year-old man has been sentenced after leading police on a high-speed chase from Quesnel to Prince George.
Eric Roger Johnson plead guilty of dangerous operation of a vehicle, flight from police, impaired driving, as well as theft of a vehicle.
Today (May 22), Johnson learned his fate.
He will spend 395 days in prison, a probation order of 18 months, and will be prohibited from driving for two years.
Back on Feb. 10, a helicopter flew low over Prince George as police tracked a suspect evading arrest.
Prince George police used the RCMP’s Air 3 helicopter to track and arrest a suspect who stole a pick-up from the parking lot of a retail business in Quesnel.
Just before 2:30 p.m. (Feb. 10), Quesnel Mounties received a stolen vehicle report and general duty officers then located the vehicle travelling north on Highway 97 towards Prince George.
However, the 27-year-old suspect fled at high speed after police attempted to stop the vehicle.
That’s when Mounties used the Air 3 helicopter and located the vehicle near Red Rock, B.C., which is about 30 km south of the city.
#princegeorge Police chopper on the move 20th and Spruce 345 pm pic.twitter.com/C8o0oZJyVJ
— Brian Skakun (@BrianSkakunCity) February 10, 2019
After the driver again refused to stop for police, the helicopter tracked the vehicle as it came into Prince George.
Just before 4 p.m., multiple general duty officers intercepted the vehicle near the southwest end of Massey Drive.
While the suspect made another attempt to evade police, a collision occurred between the stolen vehicle and a marked police car.
The driver was the lone occupant of the vehicle and was arrested without further incident; police say alcohol was a factor.
As a precaution, the suspect was transported to the hospital to be checked by medical personnel, and no police officers were injured in the altercation.
Johnson was originally charged with the following offenses but only plead guilty to the four listed above.
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Impaired Driving
- Assaulting a Peace Officer with a Weapon
- Assaulting a Peace Officer
- Fail to Stop for Police (two counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime ($5,000 or more)
