Seaspan chairman Washington receives driving ban

Executive avoids criminal record after pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention

Kyle Washington, the executive chairman of Seaspan Corp., has been handed a three-month driving ban but avoided a criminal record after pleading guilty to a charge of driving without due care and attention in North Vancouver provincial court on Thursday.

The plea stemmed from a bizarre incident on the night of Dec. 23, 2014, when Washington smashed his pickup into a wall while leaving the West Vancouver Yacht Club, then ended up driving into a ditch at the nearby Gleneagles Community Centre.

Crown prosecutor Sunny Bains said a member of the public called police after seeing Washington drive into the wall, damaging the front axle of his truck. When that person tried to find out if Washington needed help, he refused to speak or roll down the window, she said.

Police were then called to the Gleneagles Community Centre, by witnesses who saw Washington drive into the ditch, then continue to rev his engine.

The police officer who attended described Washington as “stumbling all over the road” after he was asked to get out of his truck.

Washington was taken back to the West Vancouver police detachment, where he blew breathalyzer blood alcohol readings of .110 and .100. The legal limit is .08.

Washington was originally charged with impaired driving and driving with a bloodalcohol level over .08. Under an agreement between Crown and defence lawyers, those charges were dropped and Washington pleaded guilty to the less serious Motor Vehicle Act offence.

Matthew Nathanson, Washington’s defence lawyer, said his client’s unusual behaviour that night was caused by a reaction to a prescription sleeping pill he had taken that night. Nathanson said Washington had never taken the drug before and didn’t know how it would affect him. He added some of Washington’s “bizarre behaviour” that night was “totally inconsistent with alcohol” but consistent with a reaction to the sleeping pill he had taken. He added Washington has very little recollection of what happened.

Nathanson noted Washington does significant work in the community, including being involved in foundations that work with at-risk youth and adults and has already completed 20 hours of community work service. “This behaviour is not typical of his character,” he said.

Judge Doug Moss handed Washington a $2,000 fine in addition to the three-month driving ban. “In my view, your driving was quite dangerous,” he said.

The judge noted Washington only lives a short distance from the yacht club. “You could have walked home,” he said.