Rogers gets 213 days in jail for car rampage

Summerside man sentenced for destruction at vehicle dealership

SUMMERSIDE — A 19-year-old Summerside man who rammed two cars into, and started a fire inside, a local car dealership has changed his pleas to guilty and has been sentenced.

William Eric Rogers originally contested all of the charges against him but during an appearance Wednesday in Summerside provincial court he changed his plea on three of the charges, including arson, mischief and assault. The rest were dismissed.

Rogers was sentenced to 213 days in jail, 36 months of probation and must pay back $5,000 to Aviva Insurance and $2,500 to Township Chevrolet. He also re- ceived credit for 174 days of time served as he has been in custody since his arrest on Nov. 11, 2018.

After his arrest, the accused was sent for a psychiatric assessment, which determined he was fit to stand trial.

On Nov. 11, 2018, Rogers was arrested at the Township parking lot on Water Street by Summerside police officers.

Earlier that day, he had stolen a car from the same company, drove it to Charlottetown and back to Summerside, then returned to the dealership later in the evening. He gained access to the inside of the building by ramming the stolen car into one of the garage doors. While inside he set fire to some tires, then proceeded to drive a second vehicle into a second set of doors.

“It was just like something out of a movie,” said Adam Toner at the time.

Toner owns Township and arrived on the scene before police.

“I can’t understand it all really — but it happened.”

The assault charge against Rogers is from a separate incident Nov. 9.