He sparked a police chase, got stuck in a field and now he’s going to jail

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A young Sarnia man charged three years ago with a failed getaway from police after the car he was driving got stuck in a field near Petrolia finally has been sentenced.

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Dreyten Lawrence, then 20, was charged with flight from police, dangerous driving, stunt driving by racing and driving without a licence following an incident on Dec. 11, 2021, around 6 a.m. Lambton OPP said at the time one of their officers saw a car going at least 100 kilometres/hour on Discovery Line, which has a 50 km/h limit, and tried to pull it over, but the driver fled into a field, got stuck and was arrested.

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A Sarnia courtroom recently heard some additional facts. Lawrence, who was driving a black BMW that belonged to a friend’s mom, ran a stop sign at the corner of Discovery Line and Oil Heritage Road and drove about 500 metres into a field before getting stuck. He fled on foot, prompting a call to the canine unit and emergency response team. He was arrested around 7:15 a.m. after walking toward police with his hands in the air and admitting he was the driver.

Nearly three years later, Lawrence was brought into a Sarnia courtroom, where he pleaded guilty only to failing to stop for police, his first criminal conviction, and was sentenced to 15 days in jail. Justice Paul Kowalyshyn, who also banned him from driving for one year, said it’s a privilege to get behind the wheel of a car.

“When the police are acting in their lawful capacity, it’s our obligation to pull over for them,” he said. “When you don’t, there’s consequences.”

The judge added he could have hurt himself.

“You could have hurt or injured other people who were there, including somebody who may have been out in the field,” he said.

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“I’m sorry,” Lawrence said. “I apologize.”

Assistant Crown attorney Sarah Carmody gave Lawrence credit for pleading guilty instead of going to trial and noted the incident was fairly dated.

“That comes with its own challenges in the prosecution,” she said.

The court did not hear where Lawrence, who didn’t have a lawyer and represented himself in court, has been for the past three years or what landed him in custody.

Carmody asked for an 18-day sentence.

“It is a serious offence, your honour. People need to stop for police,” she said.

But Kowalyshyn went with 15 days.

“That’s not to lessen the importance or significance or the dangerousness of your actions,” he said.

The rest of the charges police laid in 2021 were dropped as part of the plea deal.

tbridge@postmedia.com

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