Trucker can keep his license

A transport truck driver was in the midst of a cocaine-induced mental health crisis when he very nearly crashed his rig into a building on the campus of Thompson Rivers University.

That’s what a judge was told Monday as Jason Kipta, 48, pleaded guilty in Kamloops provincial court to one count of driving without due care and attention, an offence under B.C.'s Motor Vehicle Act.

Court heard Kamloops Mounties received a report of a semi truck headed eastbound in the westbound lanes just before midnight on Nov. 24, 2022. Moments later, emergency crews were called to a report of a crash involving a truck on the TRU campus.

Crown prosecutor Kelly Melnyk said the semi very nearly hit a building at 1080 University Dr.

"The truck had come over the curb and ended up stopping up against a tree,” she said. “There was a tree that stopped it from going any further.”

Melnyk said Kipta was identified as the driver and arrested shortly after the crash, at which time he told police he was in the midst of a mental health crisis.

“This is a situation where others on the roadway were put at risk, but Crown is cognizant of the fact that there was an active mental health episode that was playing out alongside this incident,” she said.

'He was not coping well'

Defence lawyer Clinton Yarshenko said Kipta was going through a difficult breakup at the time.

“It’s clearly demonstrated by this incident that he was not coping well,” he said.

"He had obtained new employment, and frankly at that time I think Jason just allowed himself to be overwhelmed by the responsibility and by the importance of that employment, and he turned to his old ways.”

Yarshenko said Kipta’s mental health episode was brought on by cocaine use, and noted he told the first officer on scene that he was trying to take his own life.

“That seems to be the only explanation that makes any sense,” he said. "Quite frankly, he’s rather vague on the facts — not because he’s being evasive, but simply because his recollection is not particularly clear with this matter.”

Kipta has since completed treatment for substance abuse.

“I’ve been sober now for just over a year, and the biggest factor for me is maintaining contact with my church,” he said. "It’s been a really good year and it’s been a really, really great eye opener for me after coming out of treatment.”

Kipta was charged criminally with two impaired driving offences and one count of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, but those charges were stayed following Monday’s sentencing on the lesser charge of driving without due care and attention.

Melnyk acknowledged there were potential issues with the Crown's case had it proceeded to trial.

Kamloops provincial court Judge Michelle Stanford went along with a joint submission for a $2,000 fine and six months of probation, during which time Kipta will be required to abstain from drugs and alcohol and attend counselling as directed. He will also be prohibited from being in the driver’s seat of any vehicle unless it’s for work purposes.

Kipta did not receive a driving prohibition, which will allow him to continue working his job in a remote part of the Northwest Territories.