Man who fled from police sentenced
By Shurtz, Delon on August 28, 2020.
Delon Shurtz
lethbridge herald
A southern Alberta man who fled from police in a stolen truck when he was caught trying to steal gasoline has been sentenced to nearly seven months in jail.
Michael Donald Lloyd was sentenced Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court, where he pleaded guilty to charges of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and flight from police.
A police officer on patrol near Nanton noticed suspicious activity April 12 at a golf course near the community and saw Lloyd standing outside the stolen truck with some gas cans. When the suspect saw the officer he jumped into the truck and took off, forcing the officer to turn around on the narrow gravel roadway before giving chase.
By the time the officer got turned around, Lloyd was already a considerable distance away, and although the officer chased him for awhile, he ultimately turned off his emergency lights to de-escalate the situation. Lloyd was eventually caught and charged with numerous offences, including possession of stolen property under $5,000, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and failing to comply with probation orders. Those charges were withdrawn, however, after he pleaded guilty Thursday.
Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles told court Lloyd has an extensive criminal record, and was on probation at the time he committed the offences in April.
Lethbridge lawyer Tracy Hembroff said her 41-year-old client’s crimes are motivated by a serious addiction to methamphetamine, for which he will receive treatment for the first time in his life.
“Mr. Lloyd has never sought treatment,” Hembroff pointed out.
Although sentenced to 207 days in jail, Lloyd was given full credit for time he spent in custody since his arrest, which completes his sentence. He will be on probation for a year, however, during which he is to abstain from consuming alcohol and drugs, not possess any weapons, not drive a motor vehicle or even be inside one without the registered owner. He must also attend the Sunrise Healing Centre in Calgary beginning Sept. 1 for treatment and counselling for substance abuse.
He is also prohibited from driving for two years.
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