A man who was behind the steering wheel during an attempt to escape police following a bout of drive-by gunplay was sentenced Thursday to a further two years two months and 18 days in prison.
In all, Eric Vern West, 42, was issued a term of 5 1/2 years for his role in the Oct. 8, 2020 incident, six months less than the total Crown counsel had been seeking during a sentencing hearing in November, but he received credit adding up to three years three months and 12 days for time served prior to sentencing, based on a 1 1/2 days for each day served.
Crown counsel had been seeking six years less time served and defence counsel argued for 3 1/2 years.
In issuing the term, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ron Tindale found that the fact West did not fire a shot to be only a "minor" mitigating factor.
On the day in question, West agreed to drive co-accused Kenneth Ricardo Munroe and Bradley Andre Ouelette to a 200-block Bellos Street home where Thomas Joshua Toman, a well-known figure in the city's drug trade, had been living. The home had been the of target previous shots-fired incidents over the span of two weeks for which no arrests have been made.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Munroe, wielding a prohibited shotgun, fired one shot from the front passenger side while Ouelette, seated in the rear, fired two rounds with a non-restricted shotgun. Neighbours, who had been on high alert, quickly contacted RCMP upon hearing the gunfire.
By the time the trio had reached Fifth and Ospika, an RCMP member had spotted their car. West initially continued east on Fifth at a normal rate of speed but the three appeared nervous as they looked back at the officer's cruiser.
When the constable pulled a U-turn with an intention to stop the car, West accelerated and when the cruiser's lights and siren were activated, he sped up some more and wove the car in and out of traffic as he raced along Fifth Avenue. He then turned onto Central Street, nearly sideswiping several vehicles, then headed south and through a red light at 10th Avenue where he turned east.
The officer became lost in the traffic and another RCMP officer took over the pursuit which continued along 10th until West crashed into the front yard of a 2300-block McBride Crescent home. The three got out of the car and Ouelette fired off a round at the RCMP cruiser then dropped the shotgun and ran.
Ouelette was eventually tackled and arrested, Munroe was found hiding in some nearby bushes and West was found underneath the deck of a nearby home.
The initial drive-by shooting occurred a short distance away from an elementary school and when classes were in session and the crash and the second round of gunplay occurred near a playground, it was noted.
Ouelette was later sentenced to eight years in prison while Munroe was sentenced to 5 1/2 years, both less credit for time served prior to sentencing.
West did not fire any of the shots but in November, Crown argued he deserves six years because he had been subject to a lifetime firearms prohibition as part of a sentence for a previous conviction, whereas Munroe was not subject to any such prohibition at the time.
In issuing his decision on Thursday, Tindale called the act "extremely violent and dangerous."
"This type of gun violence and mayhem...cannot be tolerated in any community and certainly not in Prince George. The fact that the offender was the getaway driver and not a shooter is a mitigating factor, however it is a minor one given the extreme violence and the seriousness of these offences," Tindale said.
