A young Nova Scotia man pleaded guilty Monday to nine charges stemming from a high-speed, dangerous pursuit that forced police to temporarily shut down the highway east of Sault Ste. Marie in January.
Driving a stolen Jeep, Cody Prudhomme traveled through small towns at excessive speeds on the afternoon of Jan. 6, avoided two spike belts, struck a police vehicle three times and then fled on foot into the bush.
The pursuit began after he filled up the Jeep with $40 worth of gas at a Massey service station and drove away without paying.
Prudhomme, 20, of Windsor, N.S., was convicted of theft, obstructing police by providing a fictitious name and date of birth, flight while being pursued by police, possession of stolen property over $5,000, dangerous driving and four counts of breach of a recognizance.
Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek sentenced him to 12 months jail for what the judge called "horrendous facts" and circumstances that clearly require incarceration.
With the credit he received for his pre-sentence custody, Prudhomme faces a further six and a half months (192 days) behind bars.
He also is prohibited from getting behind the wheel for three years.
The court heard the Ontario Provincial Police were notified of the gas theft at 11:50 a.m. and an East Algoma officer spotted the vehicle westbound on Highway 17 about 25 minutes later.
When he stopped the vehicle, Prudhomme, who had no identification, provided what turned out to be a fictitious name and birth date, prosecutor Nancy Komsa said.
Prudhomme denied being involved in the theft and drove off when a passenger in the vehicle got out to speak to police.
He sped towards Blind River, travelling at speeds of 170 to 180 kilometres per hour in the New Brunswick-registered Jeep which police discovered had been reported stolen the day before, the assistant Crown attorney said.
The accused drove through Blind River at a "dangerous and excessive speed" (130 to 140 kph in a 50-kph zone), after he avoided a police spike belt, Komsa said.
Racing through a light near a school crossing guard, Prudhomme continued along the Trans Canada Highway, passing a vehicle on the curb and speeding towards Mississaugi First Nation at speeds more than double the posted 70 kph limit.
When he reached Iron Bridge, he passed by two busy service centres travelling at 170 kph, Komsa said.
Prudhomme slowed down to avoid another spike belt and one of his tires was damaged, but he continued to drive 145 kph "until the tire burst into pieces."
As he reduced his speed to 80 kilometres, the police officers attempted to box the Jeep in, and he forcefully drove into a police vehicle, striking it three times, she said.
The young man fled into the bush and officers found him hiding in a parked pickup.
Komsa told the judge Prudhomme had been placed on a recognizance of bail in Kentville, N.S., on Dec. 14 for similar offences and breached four of his release conditions.
"He's three weeks on that document when he steals a car, leaves the jurisdiction and ends up half way across Canada where he steals gas."
Prudhomme then speeds along the Trans Canada Highway through small towns when school children are going home for lunch, she said.
According to CBC news reports when Prudhomme was arrested here, he faces charges in Nova Scotia for allegedly hitting an RCMP officer with his pickup truck during a traffic stop and then fleeing the scene.
Calling for the 12-month jail term and the three-year driving prohibition, Komsa cited the need for general and specific deterrence and protection of the public.
Defence lawyer Ken Walker suggested an eight-month sentence for his client who has no criminal record and "was going through some emotional trauma" at the time of the offences.
"He certainly was a hazard on the road, a danger to vehicles and pedestrians alike in these small towns," Walker said, calling the dangerous driving the worst charge.
Prudhomme told Kwolek he made a mistake and was willing to accept the consequences.
"I made an irrational decision," he said.
"This is the type of conduct the court wishes to denounce strongly," the judge said, noting Prudhomme had put others in danger.
"I hope this experience teaches you not to involve yourself in criminal activity."
Kwolek also imposed a $13,951 restitution order to an insurance company to cover the cost of the damaged Jeep.
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