WESTLOCK – A Westlock-area man who’s been caught multiple times driving while unauthorized and without insurance, received a final warning from the judge and now faces nearly $7,000 in fines.
In Westlock Court of Justice June 7, Andrew Martin Yachimec pleaded guilty to the Traffic Safety Act offences of driving while unauthorized and driving without insurance, while a count of driving an unregistered motor vehicle was withdrawn by Provincial Crown prosecutor Shelia Ries.
Justice Robert Shaigec, after thumbing through Yachimec’s lengthy driving abstract, agreed to Ries’ ask for the elevated $6,000 fine for no insurance as this was the second time he’s been caught — the fine is normally $3,000 — and noted the $600 fine for driving while unauthorized, which includes a six-month driving ban, was on the low end considering his spotty record and told him that “ … if you drive again while unauthorized I’m not sure a judge will have a lot of choices other than to send you to jail.”
Justice Shaigec then admonished the man for his seeming disregard for the law while Yachimec admitted he hasn’t had a driver’s licence “for years” and said he drove that day because he needed help cutting wood — the offence date for both tickets was Feb. 16, 2023, in Westlock. Ultimately, Justice Shaigec gave Yachimec, who’s not working and is on a disability pension, until June 26, 2024, to pay the fines, or serve 59 days in jail.
“The concern I have is, you can’t drive, period. Do you understand that? I’m looking at your driver’s abstract and you have several convictions for impaired driving, and you’ve never reinstated your licence,” said Justice Shaigec. “So, because you don’t have a licence, you can’t have insurance, but you have access to a vehicle and you’re driving it and you keep coming before the court and getting convicted of driving without a licence and insurance.
“The penalties are just going up and what’s going to inevitability happen is at least one or two things, or maybe both. The financial penalties are just going to become an overburden and you won’t be able to pay them. Or you go to jail.”
Justice Shaigec also told the man that “we all abide by the rule of law” because “otherwise we don’t have a society and we have everybody doing whatever they think is necessary.”
“I see this somewhat as a final warning Mr. Yachimec that if you’re caught driving again while disqualified, the likelihood of you going to jail is extremely high.”
