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Night of stealing, drinking ends tragically

BY KEITH LACEY [email protected] What started out as a joyride in Sudbury, ended up in the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy.
BY KEITH LACEY

What started out as a joyride in Sudbury, ended up in the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy.

Shawn Sinclair, 25, was sentenced to one year in jail on top of the four months he?s already spent behind bars since the June 5 incident which killed Jamie Pangowish.

Court heard that after a night of stealing and drinking, one stolen car ended up in a ditch. Manitoulin police believed they had a stolen second car stopped, when it suddenly took off.

Sinclair and Pangowish were thrown from the vehicle as it skidded out of control in a high-speed chase. Pangowish died as a result of his injuries.

Court heard Sinclair and five teenagers stole a vehicle in Sudbury and headed to Espanola. In Espanola, they smashed a window and broke into a Beer Store, stealing several cases of beer. Later a second vehicle was stolen on Manitoulin Island.

Police found one stolen vehicle in a ditch with beer bottles scattered all over. No one was seriously injured.

The second stolen vehicle was observed approaching the scene. When an officer reached into the second vehicle to turn off the ignition, a female underage driver took off. Police proceeded to chase the car in which Pangowish and Sinclair were passengers.

In a hushed courtroom last week, Sudbury Crown attorney John Luczak said the time has come for the court to protect society from Sinclair?s criminal behaviour.

Sinclair has a ?horrific? criminal record with more than 40 criminal convictions. While he wasn?t driving the night in question, his involvement as an adult leading five teenagers on a crime spree cries out for stiff punishment

?How many chances does he need...one young man is dead,? said Luczak.

The responsibility for being involved in a high-speed chase doesn?t all fall on Sinclair, but as the only adult involved, he should have known better, said Luczak.

?If it was not for passengers going on these recreational joyride trips, perhaps there wouldn?t by any trips,? he said. ?We have a case here that shows just how dangerous this is.?

Sinclair told the court he?s been abusing alcohol for many years. Alcohol played a direct role in making many stupid decisions that night, he said.
?If I didn?t drink, I wouldn?t be in any of this situation,? he said, wiping away tears.

?I know I can?t change anything about what happened that night...but I am very sorry...I have to deal with what I?ve done for the rest of my life.?

Justice William Fitzgerald said the time has come for Sinclair to quit blaming alcohol for his problems.

?Nothing that?s going to happen today is going to change you...you are the only person who can stop you from drinking,? he said. ?Whether or not it?s going to be a reality in your life is totally your decision.?

Fitzgerald told Sinclair, ?The community is at risk the second you are released,? if he doesn?t stop drinking and committing criminal offences.

Defence counsel Alex Toffoli said Pangowish?s death has been a very emotional incident for the community.

Sinclair?s involvement in this matter resulted in a previous conditional sentence being served in the community being revoked. He will now have to
finish that sentence before this one-year stint begins.