Man who fled from police sentenced for dangerous driving

By Delon Shurtz on June 9, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 41-year-old Lethbridge man who attempted to flee from police and had to be forcefully pulled out of a stolen vehicle, has been handed a three-month jail sentence.
Jyi Mickell Trotter was sentenced Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court after he pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving.
Court was told the property manager of a westside apartment complex noticed a van pull into the complex parking lot at about 4 p.m. March 20, and park near some dumpsters. The van caught the manager’s attention because it remained running, but didn’t move and no one threw garbage into the dumpsters.
More than an hour later, the vehicle was still there, and the manager noted the licence plate number and saw the driver slumped over the steering wheel. When police arrived, they parked their vehicles to pin the vehicle and prevent it from driving away. Trotter awoke, put the van into gear, and attempted to get away, even though police pointed their sock-shot guns at him to get him to surrender.
Trotter continued to rev the engine and spin the tires to get away, but he was pinned between the police vehicles. Police fired a sock round through the passenger and driver windows, but Trotter continued to spin the tires. Even after he was shot in the chest, he continued his efforts to flee.
After another shot was fired, Trotter ducked down, but an officer opened the passenger door and pulled Trotter out of the vehicle.
Lethbridge lawyer Vincent Guinan said Trotter was significantly injured from the beanbag shots, which were fired from close range, and pointed out defence had contemplated a charter issue for excessive force, but later abandoned it.
Crown Prosecutor Bryce Mock acknowledged the 90-day sentence recommended by both the Crown and defence is on the lower end of the range, but pointed out Trotter’s guilty plea saved considerable cost and time of running a trial.
Guinan told court Trotter suffers from drug addictions, and even though he has received treatment and was sober for a period of time, he continues to struggle.
In addition to his jail sentence, for which he was given full credit for time he’s already spent in custody on the matter, Trotter is prohibited from driving for two years. And while additional charges in relation to the incident were withdrawn Tuesday, Trotter remains in custody on for other offences, for which he returns to court Thursday.

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