Barrhead area teen caught going over 100 km/h in school zone

BARRHEAD - The Crown advised a Barrhead-area teen accused of speeding through a school zone to delay entering a plea to excessive speeding.

During the Aug. 13 Barrhead Court of Justice session, Justice Carrie-Ann Downey opted to delay sentencing Eastin Iver Storseth until Sept. 10.

Traffic Crown prosecutor R. Rees said she spoke to Storseth, saying he had agreed to plead guilty to travelling 106 km/h through the Dunstable School zone on Highway 651 near Range Road 22 on April 23, 2024, shortly after 3 p.m., adding he was willing to accept her offer of an undisclosed fine and a seven-day driving suspension.

Rees added that the accused asked to delay the driving suspension until September.

“He advises me the job, he is currently employed at to the end of summer, requires his license,” she said.

Rees proposed that Storseth enter a guilty plea and adjourn sentencing until Sept. 10 to accommodate this.

“At that time, he will be in the position to begin serving his [driver’s licence] suspension,” she said.

Downey asked why the accused did not enter his guilty plea guilty in September.

Rees then said that if Downey agreed with the sentence, the delay in the driver’s licence suspension could also be accomplished as a summary disposition.

Summary disposition, also known as summary judgment, is a decision made by a court when there is no dispute about the facts of a case and the law is clear.

David Hall, former long-term prosecutor and now defence attorney specializing in traffic matters, addressed the court from the gallery and interjected once the conviction had been entered that “the suspension would start.”

Downey agreed, adjourning the proceeding until the Sept. 10 Barrhead Court of Justice sitting.

“Given your work situation, it is better for you to wait until the end of the summer because it sounds like you are going to be getting a [driving suspension]," she said, adding that delaying the proceeding may help Storseth's work situation he would still be facing a heavy penalty. "I’m not sure what this will do to your insurance,” Downey said. “Going 106 km/h in a school zone. That is not good.”

She added that at that time, Storseth could reconsider his decision and fight the ticket going to trial.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com