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Honest girlfriend, tattoos gave away gas thief's true identity

He had stolen gas in Iron Bridge to fill up the stolen van he was driving
pumping gas
Stock image
A southern Ontario man, who was a suspended driver, was nabbed in Blind River after he failed to pay for a gas purchase for a stolen van he was travelling in, a judge heard Monday.

And when the Ontario Provincial Police caught up with Joseph Dimarco on Jan. 20, officers found he had stolen identification and cheques in the vehicle.

Dimarco, 37, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to eight charges — seven Criminal Code offences and a single count under the Highway Traffic Act — at the Sault Ste. Marie courthouse.

He was convicted of theft under $5,000 (for the gas), flight from police, obstructing police for providing a false name, possession of stolen property over $5,000 (the Honda van), possession of the stolen ID and the cheque book, breach of probation and the provincial offence of driving while suspended.

Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn heard the East Algoma OPP detachment was notified at 6:40 p.m. of the theft of gas from an Iron Bridge service station.

The vehicle was reported to be heading toward Blind River, and 12 minutes later police spotted the van on Causley Street in the town.

When an officer attempted to stop the white Honda, which had two occupants, it made a U turn and at a high speed "flew past the officer,"  assistant Crown attorney Robert Skeggs said.

Officers located the abandoned vehicle at 9:35 p.m. and discovered it had been stolen Dec. 29 in Hamilton.

Shortly afterwards, the OPP received a tip from a motel employee that a couple, who had indicated they had car troubles, was staying there.

Dimarco and a woman were located in a room and taken to the OPP detachment.

Skeggs said Dimarco initially identified himself under another name, but his girlfriend, who gave her correct identity, told officers he was Dimarco.

Using tattoos listed on CPIC (Canadian Police Information Centre), police were able to identify him as Dimarco, the assistant Crown attorney said.

He told the court the accused is suspended from driving provincewide for failing to pay fines.

While searching the van, police found identification belonging to Stoney Creek and St. Catharines men and a Huntsville couple's cheque book.

Defence counsel Jennifer Tremblay-Hall and the Crown jointly recommended that Dimarco be sentenced to time served — 86 days — credited on a 1.5-day basis for each day pre-sentence custody.

Dimarco, who now has a month-old daughter with his girlfriend, is remorseful as shown by his pleas of guilt, his lawyer said.

He has post traumatic stress disorder because of "pretty horrendous child abuse" and suffers from a blood disease.

Tremblay-Hall said her client had been using heroin, but for the first time in custody is on a methadone program and "feels better."

Dimarco told the judge he's "just trying to get out of the process of screwing up and drugs."

"I will do my best. I'm sorry to the people whose life I disrupted."

Dunn agreed to the lawyers' joint submission (the equivalent of 129 days), which she indicated takes into account his lengthy criminal record.

"You have a one-month-old baby, someone else to stay sober for," she advised the offender.

Dimarco was fined $1,000 for driving while suspended, and prohibited from getting behind the wheel for six months.

Just before leaving the courtroom he learned he faces an outstanding issue from another jurisdiction.

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About the Author: Linda Richardson

Linda Richardson is a freelance journalist who has been covering Sault Ste. Marie's courts and other local news for more than 45 years.
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