Guilty plea expected to driving charges

A Lethbridge man accused of running over another man with his car last summer, is expected to resolve his matters when he returns to court in a couple of months.

Dylan Ivan Sokol, who is in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, is charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, operating a motor vehicle while prohibited and causing an accident resulting in bodily harm.

Lethbridge lawyer Vincent Guinan spoke to the matter Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, and said defence and the Crown will recommend to the judge a joint submission for sentencing when the case returns to court April 14. The accused is expected to offer a guilty plea at that time to the single count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

The charges stem from a hit-and-run Aug. 12, in which a 37-year-old man was injured and sent to hospital.

Police reported that a man and woman were driving along 10 Street North and became involved in an altercation with the driver of a red Volkswagen Jetta.

Both vehicles pulled over and as the confrontation continued, the driver in the Jetta drove over the other man.

The woman who was with the victim drove him to Chinook Regional Hospital and he was later transported to Calgary.

Police found the red Jetta and identified the driver, but were unable to find him and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police tracked the suspect to a residence in the 100 block of Lafayette Boulevard West, in which the suspect had barricaded himself.

Following a standoff for several hours, the critical incident response team broke through the garage door at about 7:40 p.m. and used nonlethal concussion devices to force the individual outside. The suspect eventually surrendered and was arrested after a tense exchange with police.

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