Man charged with stealing dump truck, rolling it near Predator Ridge sentenced to time served

Sep 19, 2019 | 4:01 PM

A man accused of stealing a dump truck and flipping it on its side near Predator Ridge in May was sentenced to time served plus two years’ probation in Vernon Provincial Court.

Forty-two-year-old Gregory Byron Debolt appeared via video from the Okanagan Correctional Center Wednesday.

The court heard the incident started when Debolt tried to get a ride home to Grande Prairie Atla., after spending time in Kamloops.

After walking around, Debolt found a white pickup truck and drove the truck to Chase B.C. before the vehicle ran out of fuel.

He then snagged a 1990 Chevy pickup truck and made his way to Vernon before pulling over and stealing a dump truck from the side of the road.

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Debolt got into the truck and drove 50 meters along the 9500 block of Eastside Road before rolling the truck to its side spilling the gravel contents.

The owner of the dump truck chased after the truck and confronted Debolt.

The prosecution stated that Debolt got back into the dump truck threatening the owner with a fire extinguisher before fleeing the scene.

An employee at Predator Ridge reported Debolt laying down on the tenth hole of the golf course with his shirt off.

When officers arrested him, he claimed that he had people pursuing him which is why he got into the truck.

At the sentencing hearing, Crown noted Debolt had an untreated drug problem which he has had for some time.

The Crown also provided the judge a photograph of Debolt on the dump truck, a group of photos showing the dump truck on its side and a victim impact statement from the dump truck owner.

Defence lawyer Brian Loewen said his client was in an addictive state at the time of the offence. He added Debolt displayed remorse for his actions and accepted responsibility by pleading guilty to all three counts on June 26.

The prosecution asked for a six-month concurrent sentence minus time served while the defence asked for time served for the offences.

Both agreed to 24 months’ probation.

Provincial Court Judge David Patterson said he didn’t believe additional jail time was necessary. He said Debolt’s focus should be addressing his addiction to methamphetamine.

“He needs to address his addiction to drugs. He needs to decide once and for all that a life of crime does not pay,” Patterson said.

Debolt’s court ordered conditions stipulate he must attend and successfully complete a drug treatment program and have no contact with the victim. He must provide a DNA sample to the Penticton RCMP by Oct. 4.

The judge also imposed a lifetime ban on firearms. He is prohibited from possessing tools specifically used to steal vehicles.

by Tiffany Goodwein

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