THUNDER BAY - A man described by a Thunder Bay judge as behaving “erratically and bizarrely” after he was arrested more than a year ago on driving-related offences has been sentenced to six and a half months of custody on a total of seven charges that occurred throughout 2019 and earlier this year.
Crown counsel Afton Brown told the court by phone on Monday, April 20, Luke Truelove, 33, was initially arrested in January 2019 after police were dispatched to a call involving a white work van driving erratically on Mckenzie Street.
When officers arrived, they located Truelove who admitted he had taken the vehicle from a house down the street after the owner left the van running with the keys in the ignition.
Shortly after taking the van Truelove approached a woman standing on the street corner and asked if she wanted a ride. The woman agreed and got inside the van. She was told the driver’s name was Luke and he asked her where he could purchase crack cocaine.
The woman noticed Truelove driving erratically when he almost hit a snowbank and believed he was impaired. As she feared for her safety, she asked Truelove to pull over so she could get out, Brown said.
At this point, she called the police and gave them a description of the vehicle and driver, Crown said.
After Truelove was arrested and transported to the police station, Brown said Truelove began to act combative and aggressive towards officers and refused to provide a breath sample.
“He began screaming at the top of his lungs and was placed in a cell for his safety,” Brown said.
Truelove was then observed licking the jail cell door bars and dancing around.
Later in November 2019 in a separate matter, police officers observed a stolen black truck in the drive-through lane at a fast-food restaurant. Since police knew the vehicle had been reported stolen days previously, they boxed in the vehicle and arrested the driver who was later identified as Truelove.
It was also determined Truelove had been placed on a previous driving prohibition from July 2018 with an indefinite time period.
Truelove also pleaded guilty to three counts of theft under $5,000 where he stole $631 in products from Home Depot, $150 in merchandise from Alley’s Corner Variety and $130 from the LCBO. All three thefts occurred throughout the month of January.
The last two counts of resisting arrest and breaching a recognizance stem from an incident in early April. Police observed a male believed to be Truelove breaching his bail conditions. When police attempted to arrest Truelove he refused and was taken to the ground by officers. On the ground, the accused continued to refuse to put his hand behind his back.
Defence counsel Gilbert Labine told the court by audio his client served in the military for a period of nine years and also obtained the rank of corporal and served as a medical technician.
After serving in the military, he worked at a mine where he was eventually terminated after suffering from an undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder related to his military service.
“Mr. Truelove was suffering from PTSD that was undiagnosed and it became much more apparent that it was getting worse,” Labine said, adding that his behaviour on the January 2019 offences was related to these issues.
“He began to use illicit drugs began using alcohol which was not helping,” Labine said.
In the last two months, Truelove has finally received counselling with respect to his mental health issues.
Truelove was sentenced by Justice Chantal Brochu by audio on Monday, April 20, for the several counts including operating a conveyance while impaired and prohibited, being in possession of a stolen vehicle with a value exceeding $5,000, three counts of theft under $5,000 and breaching several court-orders.
He has already served approximately 30 days in pre-sentence custody at the Thunder Bay District Jail. Going forward he has roughly five and a half months left to serve of his sentence.
He will also be placed on a probation term after his custodial sentence where he will be required to participate in counselling and rehabilitative programs if directed to do so.
Justice Brochu also ordered restitution orders on each of the theft counts, meaning he will have to pay back the items he stole from each establishment.
Truelove also told the court he plans to volunteer with the military once he finishes his sentence and hopes to reconnect with his two young children.
