By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles

Sentencing Decision Adjourned in High Speed Police Pursuit

Mar 18, 2016 | 7:32 PM

LETHBRIDGE: Sentencing has been adjourned to the end of the month for 18-year old Lekendric Smith.

Friday afternoon in court, he admitted to a high speed police pursuit, which started in Lethbridge and ended just outside of Fort Macleod.

On February 22, an RCMP officer pulled Smith’s westbound vehicle over along Crowsnest Trail for swerving in front of him. As the officer approached the car it took off, and he started the pursuit, noting that the silver Honda was moving in and out of traffic, reaching speeds of 130-kmh while in city limits.

The officer was about to call the pursuit off for safety reasons, when the car turned off onto the “Tollestrup” road just before crossing the Old Man River on the way out of Lethbridge. The officer followed, but came to a stop when the car started back his way. He attempted to get out of the way, but Smith’s car struck the rear end of the cruiser, in what the Crown acknowledged was not an intentional maneuver. The officer opened fire with his service pistol, but failed to hit the vehicle, and it got back onto the highway and continued west.

The officer resumed the chase, joined by officers from Picture Butte and Lethbridge, with speeds now getting up to 150-kmh. They called ahead to inform police in Fort Macleod what was coming, and a spike belt was deployed, blowing out the tires on Smith’s vehicle and finally ending the pursuit.

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 19, 2024

Apr 19, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: April 15, 2024

Apr 15, 2024

The Crown has requested a sentence of 12 to 18-months in custody for Smith, saying he showed no regard for the safety of other motorists, and that it’s important to send a message to drivers that they need to stop for the police. They also asked for a driving prohibition following his release.

The defence suggested a Conditional Sentence Order (house arrest), saying Smith didn’t have insurance at the time and was afraid of what would happen. He added that Smith became “fearful for his life” when fired upon, and called the officer “somewhat negligent” for his actions.

After hearing from both side, Judge Jerry LeGrandeur stated that he wasn’t prepared to deliver a sentence and needed to review all of the information provided. He then adjourned is decision to March 31.