The driver who crashed his truck through Skeena Mall just after Christmas last year was sentenced in Terrace provincial court May 18 to 18 months in jail.
Curtis Bryan Summers, 22, is actually scheduled to serve 337 days because he was given credit for the 211 days he’s already spent in custody following his arrest on Dec. 28, 2015.
Earlier this year, he had pleaded guilty to charges of assault with a weapon, mischief to property over $5,000, mischief $5,000 or under, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in connection with the incident.
“I just want to say I’m very very sorry for my actions. I’ve been beating myself up over this for quite a while. I felt really awful,” said Summers, when asked if he had anything to say before sentencing.
“I want to move forward with my life. I do not ever want to come back to jail, I do not want to break the law. I’m really sorry.”
Before passing sentence, Judge Terence Wright reviewed the evidence for the court.
At the time of the series of incidents, Summers was homeless but had made friends with some people at a Kalum St. residence, court heard.
He got into an altercation with one man at the house after he believed the man had sexually assaulted a woman who was there too, court heard.
Summers hit the other man before leaving the night of Dec. 28, 2015, getting in his truck and driving to Skeena Mall, court heard.
He sat in his truck at the mall for a bit then returned to the residence with a tire iron from his vehicle, court heard.
Summers entered the residence and struck the man he had fought with, breaking the man’s arm, court heard.
He then left and broke a window as he did so, court heard.
Returning to Skeena Mall, Summers used his truck as a “battering ram” and drove through the west side doors, continuing through the mall and smashing through another set of doors, drove across the parking lot and out onto the street, court heard.
Since it was after mall hours, no one was in the mall.
Summers drove to a restaurant on Lazelle Ave., went inside and told patrons to call police because he’d done something bad.
When police arrived, he was sitting on the sidewalk, agitated and crying, court heard.
Summers had been drinking and smoking marijuana at that time and also had been prescribed medications for depression, court heard.
Summers was also ordered to pay restitution to a home owner in the amount of $841.54 for the window he broke at the residence.
After his release, he will spend two years on probation with conditions.
He was also ordered to abide by a driving prohibition of three years, a firearms prohibition of three years and will have to provide a DNA sample to police.
One charge of aggravated assault was stayed by prosecutors.