A Whitecourt man has less than three months left to serve in jail for his involvement in a stolen truck chase that ended in Grandin last December.
Cole Neal Symons appeared in St. Albert Provincial Court Monday and pleaded guilty to possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000, being unlawfully in a dwelling house and two counts of breaching the conditions of his recognizance.
St. Albert RCMP responded to a call around 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2013 to assist Edmonton Police Services (EPS) in locating a stolen white pickup truck that was being tracked by an unmarked EPS vehicle and the Air 1 helicopter.
Police knew the driver of the truck, later identified as Symons. The 30-year-old was at large on outstanding warrants.
The truck accelerated through two red lights on St. Anne Street past city hall and the St. Albert courthouse. It proceeded onto Grandin Road in excess of 100 km/h and made a left hand turn onto Glen Meadow Crescent.
Police cornered the truck at a dead end, but Symons made a U-turn and accelerated toward the police cruisers, fishtailing the vehicle at the last minute and drove back on Grandin Road.
The truck continued to travel south on Grosvenor Boulevard past Sir George Simpson Jr. High and Robert Rundle Elementary, speeding through the school zone as students were being let out of school.
The chase ended when the truck crashed into the backyard fence of a house on the corner of Grosvenor and Gordon Crescent. Symons and his female passenger, later identified as Jessica Scott, both fled on foot in opposite directions.
Symons was able to gain entry to the garage of a house on Grosvenor and jumped into the backyard through an open window. Police arrested him as he exited the unoccupied home.
Scott was located and arrested a few blocks away.
“He went to extraordinary lengths to avoid being arrested,” said Crown prosecutor Alicia Wendel.
Symons also jeopardized public safety as he sped through two busy pedestrian crossings on St. Anne Street and a school zone, she said. He also jeopardized the safety of Scott, who at the time was pregnant.
Court heard Symons was involved in a nearly identical chase just months before at the end of October 2013. He was put on a recognizance with conditions to have no contact with Scott and not to be in a motor vehicle unless it was registered in his name.
Judge Bruce Garriock described the 30-year-old’s criminal record as “extensive, related (and) unenviable.”
“I’m really sorry, and that nobody innocent was injured,” said Symons to the court Monday. He has been in police custody since Dec. 4, 2013.
Symon’s case was originally set for trial in August, but was cancelled when defence counsel was given additional disclosure.
Garriock handed Symons an 18-month jail sentence, a two-year driving prohibition and a 10-year weapons prohibition. Given 1.5-to-1 credit for time in custody prior to sentencing, he has 87 days left to serve.
Scott has pleaded not guilty to charges of failure to attend court, possession of stolen property and failure to comply with the conditions of a recognizance. Her trial date is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2015 in St. Albert.
