Pregnant woman run over

A man who pushed his pregnant girlfriend into traffic on a busy North Kamloops street, where she was run over by a Jeep, has been ordered to spend 10 months in prison.

Trevor Ryan Snider, 42, pleaded guilty Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to charges of assault and theft under $5,000.

Snider and his girlfriend were walking along the 400-block of Fortune Drive on July 24 when they became involved in an argument, which was obvious to witnesses in the area.

“There was shoving back and forth and then Mr. Snider walked ahead of [the victim], spun around, then pushed her off her feet,” Crown prosecutor Evan Goulet said in court.

“She stumbled and fell in front of a vehicle, which tried to swerve and miss her but couldn’t.”

Goulet said the Jeep drove over the woman’s back. Drivers in the area stopped and witnesses rushed to her aid.

“Mr. Snider then became agitated, telling everybody that he didn’t push her,” Goulet said. “He said she fell and he was just trying to help.”

Unborn child not hurt

The victim suffered two broken bones but avoided serious injury. Court heard the unborn baby was not harmed.

The theft charge to which Snider pleaded guilty is not related to the assault. On May 27, he stole a brand-new iPhone from a man sitting at a bus stop in Valleyview.

Snider has 79 previous convictions on his criminal record, 21 of them for violent offences.

Defence lawyer Joe Killoran said Snider has "always struggled" with substance abuse.

“He didn’t mean to push her into the road, but it's his fault,” he said. "You have to consider the consequences when you push somebody. He feels terrible about it.”

Appearing by video from Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, Snider was apologetic in court and said he hopes to one day reunite with the victim.

"I spent many nights up pretty much just bawling uncontrollably,” he said. "I am very sorry for this. It was a horrible accident.”

Kamloops provincial court Judge Ray Phillips went along with a joint submission for a 10-month jail sentence followed by a year of probation, during which time he will be prohibited from contacting or being near the victim.

Once he is given credit for time served, Snider will have a little less than seven months remaining on his sentence.