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Motorist who ‘came within mere feet of striking’ Sarnia police with pickup convicted of impaired driving

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A man arrested after two Sarnia police officers had to dodge a pickup truck veering toward them while they stood next to their parked cruisers on the shoulder of the St. Clair Parkway has been convicted of impaired driving.

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Jack Johnston, 21, pleaded guilty recently in Sarnia court to being over the legal limit within two hours of driving. The court heard in addition to being more than twice the legal limit, Johnston wasn’t a fully licensed driver at the time.

“Driving a motor vehicle with a G2 driver’s licence in the manner that you did while under the influence as you were put the lives of others at risk and put your own life at risk,” Justice Krista Lynn Leszczynski said while sentencing him.

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The court heard two officers were investigating an unrelated incident on the highway around 1 a.m. on May 29. They walked back to their cruisers, which were parked on the shoulder.

Johnston, speeding south in a white Silverado pickup, started drifting toward them.

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“The officers frantically flashed flashlights and hollered at the motor vehicle in an attempt to gain the attention of the driver,” assistant Crown attorney Suzanne LaSha said. “It continued to drift towards them, forcing the officers to press their backs up against the cruisers to avoid being struck.

“The Silverado came within mere feet of striking both officers.”

Defence lawyer Donald Elliott said the close call looked different from his client’s perspective.

“He indicated that the officers were high-fiving one another after this event, which doesn’t seem to be consistent with the two of them having their hearts in their throat,” he said.

LaSha said the Crown wasn’t suggesting Johnston intentionally drove toward the police.

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“But it nevertheless possessed a danger to the officers,” LaSha said.

“It did in fact cause officers to be concerned for their safety and to take action as a result,” Leszczynski said.

Elliott also pointed out his client was reaching for something at the time.

“Which he ought not to have done in his motor vehicle,” he said.

Police pulled Johnston over on the highway at Lasalle Line and arrested him after he failed a roadside breath test. More tests back at headquarters showed he was more than twice the legal limit.

The Crown asked for a $2,250 fine, but Leszczynski imposed the minimum $2,000 based on his test results. Johnston is also banned from driving for one year.

“I realize what I did was a big mistake of mine,” he said to the judge. “I’m sorry for what I did.”

@ObserverTerry

tbridge@postmedia.com

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