Man nets 9 months for Brandon-to-Virden car chase

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This article was published 20/12/2023 (743 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man who led police on a series of car chases that started in Brandon and ended more than 80 kilometres away in Virden was handed a nine-month jail sentence in provincial court on Monday.

Dylan Beattie pleaded guilty to dangerous operation, flight from a peace officer, and operating while prohibited after he fled from two different police authorities in September. The Crown and defence agreed on the nine-month jail sentence, for Beattie, who has a criminal record of previous driving-related offences.

Crown attorney Sarah Kok read the evidence for the charges in court.

Shortly before midnight on Sept. 15, Virden RCMP received a report of a 1994 black Honda Civic that was fleeing from Brandon police and heading west toward Virden on the Trans-Canada Highway.

An officer who was parked in a meridian on the highway to look for speeding traffic attempted to conduct a traffic stop with the oncoming Honda Civic, but the car continued past the officer.

The officer followed the Civic but eventually decided to terminate the pursuit out of public safety concerns after the Civic entered the community of Virden.

An officer on Highway 83 South set up a spike belt for the oncoming Civic, but the car swerved around it.

Then another officer in the community set up a spike belt and clocked the Civic as travelling at about 180 kilometres an hour.

Eventually the Civic drove over the spike belt and entered the ditch. Beattie got out of the car and attempted to flee, but was quickly apprehended by police.

Kok emphasized the seriousness of Beattie’s offences, leading police on a lengthy pursuit and attempting to run from authorities even after his car ended up in a ditch.

“The flight from the police officers was extremely lengthy and extensive,” Kok said. “[Police] indicated that they were following the vehicle all the way from Brandon to Virden.”

The Crown attorney also asked that in addition to the jail sentence, Beattie be subject to a five-year driving suspension.

Beattie’s defence lawyer Andrew Synyshyn, agreed with the Crown on the recommended sentence and said his client was in Brandon that day in September to pick someone up and bring them back to Regina (Beattie is originally from Saskatchewan).

Kok added that Beattie had been recently sentenced for similar charges in Saskatchewan.

Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta ultimately endorsed the recommended sentence and said the nine-month jail sentence gives him credit for his guilty pleas.

“I appreciate the guilty pleas but I’m concerned about your prior record, the protracted flight here and the very dangerous speed within the community of Virden,” the judge said. “And so it’s appropriate that you receive a custodial sentence for that.”

After being credited for time already served, Beattie will spend another five and a half months behind bars. He was also sentenced to a five-year driving prohibition.

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