P.E.I. man sentenced for breaching probation
Dakota James Ellis, 19, was subject to driving restrictions after previous offence
A P.E.I. teenager previously sentenced for throwing pop cans at 11 other motorists has received jail time for three counts of breaching probation in relation to those prior offences.
Dakota James Ellis, 19, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Feb. 21 in provincial court in Charlottetown for breaching a condition of his probation on Nov. 18, Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, that involved operating a motor vehicle only under certain circumstances.
THE FACTS
With the guilty pleas in place, Crown attorney John Diamond stayed two other breach of probation charges. Diamond told the court that on Nov. 18, the RCMP received a complaint that Ellis was operating a motor vehicle
and picked up someone in Scotchfort. Ellis was still driving around 4 a.m. in Charlottetown. Ellis also operated a motor vehicle in Donaldston and Stanhope on Nov. 25 and then again on Nov. 26 in Charlottetown.
ARSON ALLEGATIONS
Ellis is also currently facing in P.E.I. Supreme Court two charges of break and enter to commit arson on Nov. 24 in Donaldston, two more charges of break and enter to commit arson on Nov. 25 in Stanhope, and one charge of arson on Nov. 25 in Scotchfort. Those matters are scheduled to be back in P.E.I. Supreme Court on March 12. A youth was also charged with three counts of break and enter to commit arson in relation to the Stanhope and Donaldston fires. His matters are scheduled to be back in Youth Justice Court in Charlottetown on March 27.
THROWING POP CANS
The probation order was put in place on July 5 by Judge Nancy Orr. On that date, Ellis and co-accused Caleb Bevan, 19, were sentenced by Orr to 35 days in jail each to be served on weekends for mischief for throwing pop cans and causing property damage to 11 vehicles in February and March in Stratford and nearby areas. The pair drove around in Ellis' burgundy Toyota Camry and threw the pop cans at other vehicles on the road. In addition to jail, Bevan and Ellis received two years of probation and were ordered to pay roughly $8,396.60 each in restitution for the damage to the vehicles.
PROBATION ORDER
The probation condition that Ellis breached stated that within the first six months, he was only allowed to operate a motor vehicle for specific purposes, such as travelling from home or work to the jail to serve the intermittent sentence, travelling directly from home to work, except to stop for gas or car maintenance, meetings with a probation officer or counselling and treatment appointments.
The driving conditions were put in place so Ellis could continue working as a mechanic's assistant with a family member and serve the sentence intermittently.
SENTENCE
For the breach of probation offences, Orr sentenced Ellis to a total of 60 days in jail. The sentence breaks down into 15 days for the Nov. 18 offence, 20 days consecutive for the Nov. 25 offence and another 25 days in jail for the Nov. 26 offence.
Diamond opposed a request from defence lawyer Brendan Hubley to once again allow Ellis to serve the sentence intermittently. Orr agreed and denied the request.