Fines, probation for soldier after slow-speed chase
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2018 (2544 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A soldier stationed at CFB Shilo has been handed fines and probation after he led military police on a “slow-speed chase” and resisted arrest.
Matthew Hommersen, 41, pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court on Monday to multiple charges, including flight from a peace officer and resisting a peace officer.
On June 29, military police were conducting a checkstop at the military gates when Hommersen drove up, Crown attorney Brett Rach said.
A check of his licence came back as suspended, Rach said, and when confronted with this information Hommersen said “No, it’s not, have a good night,” and continued driving.
Hommersen slowly drove to the military police headquarters, Rach said, refusing to stop for the officers now in pursuit with their emergency lights activated.
When Hommersen eventually pulled into the military police barracks, the officers tried to arrest him and were met with resistance, with Hommersen pushing one officer, pulling away and tensing up.
Officers eventually needed to leg-sweep Hommersen and take him to the ground in order to place him under arrest, Rach said.
It was later determined Hommersen’s licence had been returned to him about a week prior to the incident. However, his licence was still suspended in the police’s system when they checked it that day.
“It’s inherently dangerous when someone flees from police … Certainly what we have here is a pattern of Mr. Hommersen somewhat being disrespectful of authority figures and disrespectful of court orders,” Rach said.
Defence lawyer Rhea Majewskiexplained Hommersen has been going through a volatile separation and divorce, with various allegations bringing military police to his home numerous times.
Since then, he has become anxious around police and feels unsafe in his own community, Majewski said.
The officer who pulled him over that night had also previously tackled Hommersen and swore at him, Majewski said.
As for resisting arrest, Majewski said Hommersen was wearing a motorcycle helmet and was trying to take it off, pushing the officer’s hands away in the process.
Since the incident, Hommersen has attended treatment for his mental health in order to deal with the stress in a healthy way, Majewski said.
“This has been a very difficult two years,” Hommersen told the court. “I am guilty in the last year of not controlling my reactions to other people’s actions … things just started compounding and I was not managing very well. The reasonable mind had exited and there were no wise decisions being made.”
Judge John Combs sentenced Hommersen to approximately $650 in fines and one year probation.
» edebooy@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @erindebooy