Flight from police attracts six-month conditional sentence

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on June 8, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Lethbridge man who was being helped by EMS after he had passed out in his vehicle from drug use, then sped off when he learned police were on the way, has avoided jail but not a curfew.
Jason Anthony Morin was given a six-month conditional sentence after he pleaded guilty Monday in Lethbridge provincial court to charges of flight from police and breaching conditions of release orders. As part of his conditional sentence, Morin must, in addition to other conditions, obey a curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day.
Morin and another man were both passed out in a Jeep Patriot when EMS called police for assistance at about 10 p.m. Oct. 22, 2020. While EMS personnel were attending to the two men, they awoke, and when they learned police were on the way, Morin fled in the vehicle.
Police noticed the vehicle shortly afterward at the intersection of Whoop-Up Drive and McMaster Blvd. and activated their emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. Morin didn’t stop, however, and sped east along Whoop-Up Drive, crossed the bridge over the Oldman River, and continued, without slowing down, into the residential area along 6 Avenue South.
“Given the speed of the vehicle piloted by Mr. Morin, police discontinued their chase so as not to endanger any of the residents,” said Crown Prosecutor Adam Zelmer.
Zelmer noted that at the time of the incident, Morin was bound by previous release conditions to adhere to a curfew between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., and to not be behind the steering wheel of any vehicle.
Since these offences Morin has taken steps to become sober, the Crown added, and he recently spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital, where he suffered from pneumonia and was in a coma for a time.
Zelmer said Morin’s personal circumstances since the offences have changed dramatically, prompting the Crown and defence to jointly recommend the six-month conditional sentence, with conditions that include residing at a specific and approved residence, obeying a curfew, and taking treatment and counselling for substance abuse. Morin is also prohibited from being behind the steering wheel of a motor vehicle and from being in a vehicle without the registered owner present, and he is prohibited from possessing and consuming alcohol and drugs.
“Mr. Morin has achieved a period of stability and sobriety in the last time period,” Zelmer told court. “This is likely, in recent times, one of the longest stable and sober periods that Mr. Morin has had, and the theme of that condition is to maintain and support that stability.”
Morin has also been on house arrest for nearly a year and has not been charged with new offences, Zelmer added.
Calgary lawyer Shaun Leochko pointed out Morin has been sober for 18 months, and for 11 months was in a treatment program at Streets Alive, which he completed. He was also working as a counsellor and mentor before he contracted pneumonia last winter and spent time in the hospital.
Judge D. R. Pahl warned Morin not to breach any of the conditions of his sentence, but congratulated him on being able to improve his life despite his poor health and difficult challenges.
“I hope you do well,” Pahl said. “It’s a credit to you sir; you’ve been doing very well the past few months, I hope you can keep it up. Good luck.”

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