No jail for ramming police cars

Thanks to good behaviour while on bail and a thumbs-up from Penticton police, a man who twice rammed RCMP vehicles during a chase avoided going to jail Monday.

As part of a plea bargain on the eve of trial in B.C. Supreme Court, Ronald Jason Stewart, 46, was handed a 12-month conditional sentence of house arrest after he admitted to possession of stolen property over $5,000, flight from police and dangerous driving. All of the offences happened on Jan. 22, 2019, in Penticton and Twin Lakes.

Some terms of Stewart’s sentence — which was a joint submission of Crown and defence — require him to obey a nightly curfew and pay $1,614 in restitution to the owner of the pickup truck with which he confronted police.

Court heard the truck, a Ford F-350, was reported stolen in Grand Forks on Jan. 19, 2019. Three days later, the truck was spotted by Penticton RCMP officers, who followed it to the Granada Inn parking lot.

An officer tried to box in the truck with a police vehicle, but Stewart pushed aside the police vehicle with the truck and fled.

Soon after, other officers spotted Stewart putting fuel in the truck at Twin Lakes Market and tried to box in the truck there, but Stewart again rammed a police vehicle to get away.

The chase ended nearby on Highway 3A when Stewart attempted a U-turn with a flat tire and his truck was pushed into a ditch by a police vehicle. He fled on foot but was captured with assistance from a police dog.

Since his release on bail 2 1/2 years ago – conditions of which included a 24-hour curfew and ankle bracelet to monitor his whereabouts – Stewart has had no further run-ins with the law.

“But for Mr. Stewart’s behaviour on bail, the Crown would have been seeking a significant jail sentence in this matter, likely in the range of two years,” said Crown counsel Ann Lerchs as she recommended the conditional sentence.

“However, I’ve made some inquiries… and my understand is during the time Mr. Stewart has been on bail for this matter there have been no breaches, no contacts with any of the criminal element.”

Lerchs suggested the conditional sentence mimics Stewart’s bail order and keeping him “away from his criminal contacts will help protect the public in the future.”

Stewart declined to address the court when given a chance Monday.

Defence counsel Jordan Watt said his client was going through a tough time during the incident and “essentially panicked and fled the circumstances.”

Watt argued Stewart’s compliance with bail conditions and his guilty pleas “shows this is an individual that does respect our laws” and accepts responsibility for his actions.