By Keith Lacey
A Sudbury man who fell asleep behind the wheel and then tried to escape from police when they closed in on him was handed a heavy fine and two-year driving prohibition Wednesday.
Paul Constantineau, 50, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and refusing to provide a breath sample.
Court heard that on Dec. 17, 2000, police got a call about a truck stopped in traffic on Howey Drive.
When police attended the scene, the driver, who was asleep when police were called, woke up, recognized what was going on and took off, leading police on a brief chase before getting his truck stuck in a snowbank, said assistant Crown attorney Andrew Slater.
Police officers noticed several signs of impairment, including a strong smell of alcohol, and asked Constantineau to provide breath samples, but he refused.
Defence counsel Robert Topp said this matter was the subject of a pre-trial and it was agreed his client, who had no previous related record, should pay a fine of $1,000 on each count and have his driving privileges suspended for 24 months.
Justice J.D. Bark agreed with the joint submission.
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A man who was so drunk he barely remembers breaking into a Sudbury residence two weeks ago, was sentenced to nine months in jail Monday.
Citing Dean Jacobs' addiction to alcohol, Justice J.D. Bark recommended Jacobs serve his sentence at the Northern Treatment Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
Court heard Jacobs broke into the home of a stranger two weeks ago around 5 am.
A man confronted Jacobs, 34, who was in his bedroom. Jacobs told him he was "sorry" and he left, but not without the man's wallet.
Police were called and found Jacobs stumbling very close to the crime scene in a severely intoxicated state and in possession of the wallet.
Defence counsel Louis Sola said his client's criminal record "is awful," but added almost all his convictions stem from a serious alcohol addiction.
His client had enough time to get far away, but was so drunk he was caught nearby by police, said Sola.
Before this latest incident, Jacobs had managed to stay sober for seven months and had started his own business selling native artifacts and was helping his mother babysit several children, said Sola.
Unfortunately, Jacobs "fell off the wagon with a thud" and got into trouble once again, he said.
Justice J.D. Bark told Jacobs he would recommend he served his sentence at the Northern Treatment Centre, but added it wouldn?t do much good unless Jacobs decides he wants to change his life around for good.
After serving the nine-month sentence, Bark ordered Jacobs on probation for one year where he's to continue counselling for alcohol abuse.
