Man sentenced for stealing truck warming up in driveway

A Charlottetown man who stole an unoccupied truck warming up in a driveway and then crashed head-on into a police vehicle has been sentenced for several offences.

William James Hunter, 37, pleaded guilty on May 10 and was sentenced in provincial court in Charlottetown for stealing the truck, impaired driving, flight from police and assault with a weapon (the truck).

All of the offences occurred on Feb. 26. At around 4:30 a.m., a woman phoned Charlottetown police to report that her boyfriend's truck had been stolen from their driveway on Pownal Street in Charlottetown, said Crown attorney Bridget Morriscey. The vehicle was running and warming up with the keys inside. After starting the truck, she went inside the residence to get a snow brush. When she went back outside, she saw the truck speeding away.

At around 6 a.m., Charlottetown police spotted the truck driving on University Avenue and then into the Atlantic Superstore parking lot.

Also at the store's parking lot clearing snow was the truck's owner, said Morriscey. When the owner saw his stolen truck headed towards him, he approached it and tried to grab Hunter through a rolled-down window. Instead, Hunter kept driving and the owner was dragged for several feet before falling on the pavement and hitting his head.

The truck continued driving through the parking lot and then westbound on Belvedere Avenue. The truck then turned onto a side street, where it was met head-on by another police vehicle and crashed into it. Other police vehicles followed and boxed in the truck. Hunter tried unsuccessfully to get away by reversing and accelerating the truck. Hunter was removed from the truck and arrested by police.

An officer at the scene also noticed that Hunter had signs of impairment. Hunter was taken to the Charlottetown police station and provided two breathalyzer samples of 150 and 140 milligrams (mg) of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.

Legal-aid lawyer Alex Dalton said alcohol is an issue for her client and that the offences that day have been a "wake-up" call for Hunter.

Hunter also spoke in court and apologized for what he did that day, adding that none of it would have happened if he hadn't been drinking so heavily. Hunter said that he wants to get help for his alcoholism.

Chief Judge Jeff Lantz sentenced Hunter to a total of 63 days for all of the offences.

In addition, Hunter was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 100 hours of community service and banned from driving for 18 months.

With the permission of his probation officer, Hunter may have the option to pay $10 for each hour of community service to the local food bank.

Hunter was also issued a weapons ban for five years and ordered to provide a sample of his DNA to the national databank.

Hunter did not have a prior criminal record.