WESTLOCK – A former area woman who stole a truck, then led police on a chase in the summer of 2019, now faces a year-long conditional sentence order (CSO) with the judge praising her for the “extraordinary steps” she’s taken to get off drugs and turn her life around.
In Westlock Provincial Court July 6, Meghan Dube, 27, pleaded guilty to flight from police and possession of stolen property, while two counts of failing to attend court and single charges of resisting a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance, failure to hold a valid driver’s licence, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and driving with no insurance were withdrawn — Wednesday’s appearance, initially set as a trial, was the 20th time the case has been in court.
Judge Robert Shaigec agreed to the joint-sentence submission from Crown prosecutor Brett Grierson and defence lawyer John Sinclair that’ll see Dube serve a 12-month CSO at the Edmonton-area halfway house where she’s currently living at — the first three months include 24-hour-day house arrest. At the end of the year Dube then faces a year of probation and has also been banned from driving for 12 months, while Judge Shaigec declined imposing a victim-fine surcharge.
Grierson, while noting Dube’s short and dated criminal record that included a theft under $5,000 conviction, said she has taken “real steps” that are enough to convince the Crown that “straight custodial time is not in hers, or the community’s best interests.” Sinclair provided a letter of support and noted Dube has been sober for the last 16 months and has made “substantive steps” with help from an addictions counsellor and Narcotics Anonymous.
Sinclair said Dube grew up in the Barrhead area and got her first taste of drugs and alcohol at age 13.
“And unfortunately for her there was a downward spiral into meth and other chemicals at age 18,” said Sinclair. “In speaking with her worker who is with her today, she talks about how her journey so far has been successful. She is taking a leadership role in the house she is residing at and is at the point now where she is helping others coming in who are just starting their journey to sobriety.
“We have a woman who has done an amazing amount of work to become sober. You can see that she’s been tested and is working the program. And as I say when you’re working the program, the program works you and that’s all we can hope for. We have someone here who has taken dramatic steps towards improving themselves.”
Noting the seriousness of flight from police as “the Alberta Court of Appeal has said many times it attracts a jail sentence”, Judge Shaigec said it was because of the “extraordinary steps” she had taken to “regain control of your life” that he was agreeing to the CSO.
“I do want to commend you for the steps you’ve taken. You’re 27, your whole life is in front of you. And I don’t want that life to be run by addictions because addictions will shorten that life, worsen that life and maybe cause that life to be spent in jail and you’re too important for that,” said the judge. “So, I commend you and I encourage you to stay on the path you’re on.”
Grierson told court that around 9 p.m., Aug. 14, 2019, Westlock RCMP got a report from a citizen who had spotted a Ford truck that had been reported stolen on Facebook — they eventually tracked it down on Highway 776 and Township Road 604.
Following a short pursuit, police deployed a spike belt which deflated the front two tires and it eventually came to a stop in front a rural residence. Dube initially fled the scene on foot but was tracked by a police dog and arrested a short time later.
“We’re talking about speeds between 60 and 80 (km/h) on an 80 km/h road. And on an odd note, when she went to change roads, there was a yield sign and the officer noted that she actually followed the rules of the road and yielded,” Sinclair noted.
