Flight from a Peace Officer (Sentencing Cases)

This page was last substantively updated or reviewed January 2020. (Rev. # 96828)

• < Sentencing
• < Cases

Offence Wording

Flight from peace officer

320.17 Everyone commits an offence who operates a motor vehicle or vessel while being pursued by a peace officer and who fails, without reasonable excuse, to stop the motor vehicle or vessel as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.

2018, c. 21, s. 15.

– CCC (CanLII), (DOJ)

---

Punishment

320.19
[omitted (1), (2), (3) and (4)]

Punishment — dangerous operation and other offences

(5) Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.13(1) [dangerous operation] or 320.16(1) [failure to stop after accident], section 320.17 [flight from peace officer] or subsection 320.18(1) [operation while prohibited] is liable

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years; or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day.

2018, c. 21, s. 15.
[annotation(s) added]

– CCC (CanLII), (DOJ)

---

Case Digests

Case Name	Prv.	Crt.	Sentence	Summary
2019
R v Grogan, 2019 ABPC 126 (CanLII), per Johnson J	AB	PC	9.5 years imprisonment (flight causing)	"Grogan is a case in which having pleaded guilty Mr. Grogan, 34, was sentenced to nine and half years incarceration for two counts of flight causing death and one and a half years concurrent for leaving the scene. The maximum sentence for flight causing death was life imprisonment. Given the concurrent leaving the scene sentence, the net flight causing death sentence was seven years incarceration. While at a relatively low 30 kms over the posted limit, Mr. Grogan drove against traffic on a freeway and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle, killing its occupants. He had an unrelated but significant criminal record and four Traffic Safety Act convictions. He had consumed methamphetamine earlier the day of the collision; it does not appear a finding was made regarding the specific contribution of drug consumption on Mr. Cyr’s driving." (Quoting from R v Benjumea, 2022 ABQB 44 (CanLII)), at para 79 Find summaries of case.
2016
R v Bridgman, 2016 ABCA 415 (CanLII), per Martin JA	AB	CA	6 months imprisonment (dangerous) 15 months (flight)	Find summaries of case.
R v Bonneteau, 2016 MBCA 72 (CanLII), 131 WCB (2d) 456, per Pfuetzner JA	MB	CA	24 months (flight) 24 months (dangerous) 18 months (theft under) 1 month (Assault PO) 18 months (assault, weapon)	The offender plead guilty to the offence(s) of theft under $5,000, assault peace officer, breach of recog, flight from a peace officer, dangerous driving, and assault with a weapon. Find summaries of case.
2011
R v Chaaban, 2011 ABPC 310 (CanLII), per Anderson J	AB	PC	8 months CSO	Find summaries of case.
2006
R v Cyr, 2006 ABCA 114 (CanLII), per Gallant J	AB	CA	8.5 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case.
2004
R v Johnston, 2004 ONCJ 111 (CanLII), per DiGiuseppe J	ON	PC		Find summaries of case.
R v Tabor, 2004 BCCA 191 (CanLII), per Donald JA	BC	CA		Find summaries of case.
R v Joyea, 2004 SKCA 17 (CanLII), per Gerwing JA	SK	CA		"the accused had pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level above .08, failing to stop without lawful excuse, and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified. The incident in question occurred while the respondent was on probation. After consuming an excessive amount of alcohol, the accused drove his vehicle in a dangerous manner in business and residential areas trying to avoid an RCMP vehicle in pursuit. He did not stop voluntarily, but only after the police vehicle disabled his car. He had 44 prior convictions which included numerous driving offences, among others five of driving over .08 and one of dangerous driving, for which latter offence he received a sentence of two years. After a sentencing circle, the trial judge had imposed a sentence of eight months conditional. The Court of Appeal overturned the trial judge’s holding. The Court found that given the serious nature of the incident and the accused’s history, a conditional sentence was not fit since it gave undue emphasis to rehabilitative aspects and none to denunciation, deterrence and the need to protect the public. A sentence of 23.5 months imprisonment was imposed, before taking into account a credit of 10 months the accused had served on remand, as well as one for the 4.5 months he had already served on his conditional sentence. The Court mentioned the gap in driving convictions since 1998, and the very positive report from his conditional sentence served in the community, as mitigating factors." (Quoting from R v Wolfe, 2015 SKPC 161 (CanLII)), at para 26 Find summaries of case.
R v Nowlin, 2004 MBCA 44 (CanLII), per Huband JA	MB	CA		Find summaries of case.
2003
R v Pellizzon, 2003 ABCA 347 (CanLII), per Fruman JA	AB	CA		Find summaries of case.
R v McLeod, 2003 YKSC 70 (CanLII), per Gower J	YK	SC		Find summaries of case.
R v Major, 2003 CanLII 19300 (QC CQ), per Auger J	QC	PC	18 months (flight) 3 years (assault PO) 18 months (obstruct)	Offender was impaired and engaged in a street race, intentionally hitting another car. Police chase him, he threatened police with an axe and strangled officer causing harm. 5 year driving prohibition Find summaries of case.
2001
R v Sturge, 2001 CanLII 8601 (ON CA), per curiam	ON	CA	18 months (flight) 6 years (global)	Offender committed 7 robberies on a spree and was pursued by police in a stolen car. He struck and injured a police officer in process. Find summaries of case.