Nelson, B.C. - Man Gets Weekend Jail Time, Except
Over Christmas For Steals Police Cruiser While Handcuffed - Escaped
Published on December 4th, 2009
The Canadian Press Topics : Kootenay Lake Hospital
NELSON, B.C. - A Nelson, B.C. man will serve jail time on weekends, with
the exception of Christmas, after escaping handcuffed from the back of a police
cruiser then stealing it.
The bizarre incident happened in October 2007 in the small B.C. interior town,
while the man was pulled over in a car with two others on the suspicion of
impaired driving.
Joseph English, 32, took off on foot while being questioned outside of the
vehicle by police.
He was chased down by the officers, caught, then handcuffed and placed in the
back of the police car. The officers then went to deal with the other two
occupants of the car.
While their backs were turned, English managed to get out of the secure area
of the cruiser and drive off with it.
Police pursued him, but English lost them after a few blocks.
When the officers returned to the scene, the other two occupants of the car had
also disappeared.
Later that night, the stolen police car was found abandoned on a nearby service
road.
English later showed up at the Kootenay Lake Hospital with several injuries,
including a broken wrist, a broken rib and a subsequent collapsed lung.
In court Friday, English's lawyer asked for probation without jail time and said
English would pay the $507.46 in damages he caused to the police cruiser.
The judge agreed English should pay for the damages, but added a 60-day
intermittent sentence, requiring him to serve his sentence over weekends,
starting immediately.
English is allowed to stay out of jail over the Christmas weekend.
English said after court Friday that his actions might set a bad example for
others, and that he should be punished, but thought community service would have
been appropriate.