Dump truck joyride ends in flames — and jail time

Matthew Evans-Moreau's new life went up in smoke after the long arm of the law caught up with him 

The 29-year-old was working at a mine in the Sudbury area and had purchased a home, when in the words of his lawyer Jennifer Tremblay-Hall "the chickens came home to roost."

He was facing a number of charges, dating back two years, in the Sault Ste. Marie area, and owed thousands of dollars in traffic fines, when he recently was convicted in absentia in Sudbury on a traffic charge and sentenced to six months jail.

Once he was in custody, he was shipped to the Sault, where he pleaded guilty Monday to seven Criminal Code charges, including mischief over $15,000 for a fire that damaged a dump truck, possession of a camper trailer stolen from Christie Camper Sales, and four counts of failing to attend court.

Evans-Moreau was also convicted, under the Highway Traffic Act, of driving while suspended — an offence that occurred Aug. 14, 2016.

He was sentenced to 95 days behind bars, time he will do consecutive to the jail term he already is serving.

Tremblay-Hall told the court her client, who "probably owes $30,000" in driving-related fines, "now understands if he gets a traffic ticket he needs to deal with it."

Ontario Court Justice John Condon heard that the Thessalon detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police was contacted at 6:50 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2016 about a fire in a dump truck at a logging lot on Emerson Lake Road.

An employee had arrived at the site, which was littered with several beer cans, to find the truck "completely in flames," assistant Crown attorney Trent Wilson said.

The worker pushed dirt onto the truck with a skidder, then used a fire extinguisher to put out the rest of the flames.

The following day, the OPP received information that a person of interest could be located at Evans-Moreau's residence.

Officers noted a couple of vehicles, including the accused's, covered in dirt, and were told the group had been four-wheeling on the back roads, north of Thessalon, Wilson said.

There had been a malfunction in his vehicle and it was towed back to the residence.

The group later returned to the dump truck, where three of them got inside and while they were joyriding, it got stuck up on logs and started to burn.

Wilson indicated that Evans-Moreau was responsible for the burning of the truck.

Tremblay-Hall said the accused "is very remorseful about the dump truck."

"It was a bachelor party gone awry," she said. "Hopefully, he's learned a valuable lesson."

She noted Evans-Moreau, who had been making an effort to change his life, has lost his home and his job, and will now be in jail until October.

"He feels he has grown up in the last year."

Condon pointed out to the accused that hard working people had been hurt by "your foolishness." 

Damaging the dump truck without an explanation "is just silliness," the judge said, adding "unfortunately you are in no position to repay the owner."

"I hope this is a sufficient lesson to you and you won't be back (in court)," Condon added, warning him not to be tempted to drive because "it will cost you more jail time."

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