Lethbridge man jailed for fleeing police

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on May 22, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Lethbridge man who fled from police during an attempted traffic stop last year has received a short jail sentence.

At about 9 a.m. on Aug. 14 a police officer in an unmarked vehicle noticed a woman walking along an access road adjacent to Mayor Magrath Drive. The woman was being followed by a black Subaru, which the officer recognized, and he watched the Subaru pick up the woman, make a U-turn and drive past his unmarked police vehicle.

The officer followed the car as it drove to the industrial park, and enroute learned Kerner was prohibited from being in a vehicle without the registered owner and his licence had previously been suspended.

Following a brief stop in the industrial park Kerner continued driving and headed west along 26 Avenue North where an officer in a marked vehicle approached the Subaru from behind and activated his emergency lights and siren. Kerner refused to stop, however, and after turning a corner he sped southbound on 39 Street before turning east on 18 Avenue.

“Once the car left at a high rate of speed, police terminated the pursuit,” Crown Prosecutor Robert Morrison said, noting the officer did not want to endanger the public.

Kerner, who was set to stand trial next Tuesday, pleaded guilty instead to charges of flight from police, breaching release conditions and driving while unauthorized. He was sentenced to three months and seven days in jail, but credited for the equivalent of 97 days he accumulated while in remand custody, which concludes his sentence. An additional charge of failing to comply with release conditions was withdrawn.