BOYLE – A 24-year-old Lac La Biche man, the last of three who ended up backwards in a snowy ditch in a stolen truck following a police pursuit in December 2020 will serve another 105 days in jail.
Arnold Travis Houle appeared in Boyle Provincial Court via CCTV from Edmonton Remand Centre Nov. 9, facing 22 counts of housebreaking with intent to commit an indictable offence, and one count each of break-and-enter to a non-dwelling, shop-breaking with intent, possession of stolen property, possession of break-in tools, possession of a controlled substance and obstruction of a peace officer. He pleaded guilty to one of the housebreaking counts along with the possession of stolen property and obstruction charges, while the remaining were withdrawn by the Crown.
Crown prosecutor Brett Grierson told Judge Michèle Collinson, who presided via Webex from Fort Saskatchewan, Houle was one of three men arrested Dec. 4, 2020, after returning to the Amisk Lake Trailer Park, off Highway 663, following a report of 22 separate break-ins at the converted seasonal cabins there earlier that morning. While a Boyle RCMP member was taking a statement from a complainant, a white GMC pick-up appeared at the entrance to the park, backed out quickly and fled the scene.
The officer pursued the vehicle, which eventually ended up facing the wrong way in a ditch after attempting to turn around during the chase. The truck was later found to have been stolen from Bonnyville.
Houle and Keith Cardinal, who pleaded guilty to the same charges March 9, and received a similar sentence, attempted to run from the vehicle, but were eventually tracked and arrested. A third man in the truck, George Mountain, headed the other direction and in January pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property, obstruction and two failing to comply with conditions charges and received a 30-day global sentence.
Defence lawyer Lynn Marie Rideout told court Houle had been in custody since Oct. 5, He had also been off drugs and sober for a month before that and was seeking treatment to turn his life around in order to be in his children’s lives, after being involved in the drug and criminal world for several years.
She also noted her client was asking the judge to consider that he had been in COVID quarantine for more than 30 days since being incarcerated when passing down her sentence. ERC quarantine practices see prisoners released from their cells twice a day for 15 minutes.
Grierson asked the court for six months (180 days) in jail on the housebreaking charge, six months concurrent for possession of the stolen truck and another 15 days concurrent for the obstruction charge, citing a brief, but related criminal record from 2017 and the number of cabins broken into that day as aggravating factors.
Judge Collinson agreed, but also agreed to cut the sentence slightly due to the quarantine conditions in ERC. She asked Houle to explain why he decided to get sober.
“I recently started talking with my kids’ mother, and the fact that I wasn't talking to her before was because the drugs were making my mind foggy. So, now that I'm sober and stuff I just want to be there for my kids,” Houle replied, adding he was sorry for what he did and wants to be a contributing member of society.
The judge went along with the Crown’s submission on sentencing, but reduced the sentence slightly, giving Houle 165 days in jail on the housebreaking charge, 165 days concurrent on the possession of stolen property charge and 15 days concurrent for the obstruction charge.
Taking into account his time in custody, he was granted credit for 60 days of time served, so will remain in jail for another 105 days.
“I wish you strength and courage as you reach for your sobriety and reconnect with your family,” Judge Collinson told Houle.
