Friday, July 17, 2009
'Stupid' drunk driver gets 10 months in cooler
By TONY BLAIS, COURT BUREAU
EdmontonSun.com
A "stupid" Edmonton driver with a "total disregard for the safety of others" who went on an 18-month drunken crime spree after his wife left him was jailed yesterday.
Robert Essensa, 42, was handed a 10-month sentence and fined $500 after pleading guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm, careless driving, possession of a stolen vehicle, driving with no insurance and numerous counts of failing to appear in court and breaching court orders.
The heavy equipment technician, who court heard committed multiple hit and runs in a stolen Coca-Cola truck, smashed into an electrical outlet at a motel before fleeing and hurt another driver after rear-ending him while driving drunk, was also hit with a two-year driving ban.
Provincial court Judge Terry Matchett rejected a defence call for a community-based sentence, saying Essensa put the public in danger with what he called a "spree of disregard for the law and disrespect for the court system."
STOLEN COKE TRUCK
Court heard police responded to a home in northeast Edmonton on Jan. 11, 2008, after it was reported a man driving a stolen Coca-Cola truck had destroyed a fence.
The delivery truck was later found abandoned near 151 Avenue and Victoria Trail after reports of multiple hit-and-run collisions.
Two days later, Essensa smashed into a raised electrical outlet at the Eastglen Motel and drove away after being refused a room due to being banned from the place.
On March 7, 2008, Essensa was busted as he tried to drive away after rear-ending a Chevy Silverado at Yellowhead Trail and 66 Street and injuring the driver.
Essensa smelled of booze, had bloodshot eyes and was staggering when he was arrested and later blew readings of more than double the legal blood-alcohol levels.
DRIVER INJURED
The collision caused substantial damage to both vehicles and the injured driver needed four staples to close a cut on his head. Essensa was not insured at the time.
On April 27, police responded to a family fight at a basement suite at 98 Street and 74 Avenue and nabbed Essensa after learning he had 34 warrants for his arrest.
Defence lawyer Akram Attia said that Essensa had been doing well for 10 years until he "returned to the bottle" after his wife left him and took his home and all his belongings.
"He was just being stupid and using alcohol way too much," said Attia.
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