Barrhead man pleads guilty to driving without insurance

BARRHEAD - A Barrhead man received a hefty fine for driving a motor vehicle without proper insurance.

Austin John Letendre received the sentence from Justice Bruce Garriock after pleading guilty to the crime in Barrhead Court of Justice on Dec. 10.

Provincial traffic Crown Mark Fosiey said the fine was the minimum he could impose.

Letendre asked the court for six months to a year to pay the fine.

Justice Garriock replied he would give him until Dec. 31, 2025, to pay the fine, provided the accused made a minimum monthly payment towards his obligation.

Letendre said he could make $150 monthly payments.

If he does not pay the amount by the deadline, Letendre could face 45 days in jail.

Driving while unauthorized

Randy Emil Reich also received a $600 fine from Justice Bruce Garriock after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge under the Traffic Safety Act (TSA) 94.1(2) of driving while unauthorized. Initially, the accused was charged with 94.1(1) driving while disqualified.

Fosiey noted that the charge comes with an automatic six-month driver's licence suspension in addition to the fine.

Reich will have until March 25, 2025, to pay the fine.

Driving without a subsisting licence

Justice Bruce Garriock also fined Hanmarie Roberts $1,000 after she pleaded guilty to an amended charge of driving without a subsisting operator's licence.

Initially, Roberts was charged under Section 92 (2) of the TSA for driving a motor vehicle while unauthorized.

"Mrs. Roberts is a single mother who needs her driver's licence, while the [amended charge] has an increased fine, but it does not come with a driver's licence suspension," Fosiey said.

The justice gave her until June 30, 2025, to pay the fine on the condition that she make $100 minimum monthly payments. 

Conviction in absence

Justice Garriock also convicted Jorge Crescencio Garcia in absentia of failing to comply with 37(a) of the Rules of the Road under the TSA by failing to obey a stop sign before entering an intersection after failing to show up for his court appearance.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com