Jailed man fined $1,500 for driving while prohibited

A 48-year-old Prince George man was fined $1,500 after he pleaded guilty May 14 to driving while prohibited.

Provincial Court Judge Cassandra Malfair agreed with the joint Crown and defence proposal for Troy Alvin Mruk, who is in custody on a nearly year-long sentence imposed by a Provincial Court judge in Kelowna in March.

Court heard that, on Nov. 13, 2024, Mruk was served with a driving prohibition after an RCMP officer investigated a vehicle idling in Moccasin Flats. The police database showed that Mruk’s Alberta licence had been surrendered and he was not licensed to drive in B.C.

On Dec. 20, 2024, officers attended the Carmel Inn for a different matter. Mruk and his mother were refusing to leave after their checkout time. Mary Mruk told police that her son would return shortly after driving. When he showed up, Mruk was arrested for driving while prohibited.

The Mruks had been staying at the motel after being evicted from their residence and both had health conditions. Troy Mruk had left the motel briefly to pick up a prescription at a pharmacy.

“Their normal routine was a little bit out of whack,” defence lawyer Jason LeBlond told Malfair.
“So he certainly knew he was prohibited. Certainly there's a risk to other drivers. He's not insured. If there had been an accident, there would have been significant consequence for both Mr. Mruk and anybody involved.”

LeBlond said Mruk has made contact with ICBC and is “working on trying to get his licence back.”

Malfair decided the fine did not contravene the public interest and would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute. She gave Mruk until May 13, 2026 to pay the fine.

Mruk is also prohibited from operating a motor vehicle or conveyance on any public or industrial road for a year.

Provincial Court Judge Andrew Tam sentenced Mruk in March to 358 days in jail for intimidating a justice system participant. The total sentence was 15 months, but Mruk qualified for 92 days credit due to pre-sentence custody.

Tam said he would have been sentenced sooner had it not been for lying to the court about his mother being hospitalized after a heart attack.

LeBlond told Malfair that his client is considering an appeal and application for parole.