Jail time for man who fled police traffic stop

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on February 17, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 26-year-old man who fled from police when they attempted to conduct a traffic stop last fall, has been sentenced to six months in jail.

Quinn Mitchell Pozzo was sentenced Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court, where he pleaded guilty to one count of flight from a peace officer.

Court was told that at about 2 a.m. on Oct. 21, police were patrolling in Coaldale and noticed a vehicle parked at the Birds of Prey Centre. Police checked the licence plate and determined the vehicle had been stolen from Brooks, but when they attempted to initiate a traffic stop the driver took off.

Police found the vehicle abandoned in Coaldale a short time later, and found Pozzo and a woman shortly after that. Pozzo, the Crown pointed out, did not have a valid operators licence at the time.

“Obviously, the offence of evading police in a vehicle is very serious,” Crown Prosecutor Marni MacKay said.

Calgary lawyer Marc Crarer noted Pozzo has suffered from addictions – which is reflected in his criminal record – but he hopes to become a productive member of society after he is released from jail.

“We have faith that he will be in a position to do so again, but needs to address his addictions issues,” Crarer said.

Judge F. A. Day accepted the Crown and defence joint submission, and said six months in jail, minus three and a half months for time Pozzo spent in remand custody, is in the range. However, Day noted Pozzo’s criminal record comprises 23 previous offences, many of them for various breaches, “which is indicative of a mindset of, frankly, a character flaw.”

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