Driver pleads guilty to chaotic Gabriola Island impaired driving incident

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John Turk declined to comment in court or to NanaimoNewsNOW regarding his offending. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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A neighbour who heard the crash outside her home saw Turk attempting to re-start his truck positioned upside down in the ditch.

A Gabriola Island RCMP officer then arrived, reporting Turk was speaking loudly and incoherently with slurred speech and glossy red eyes.

“He was not able to maintain his balance, even when seated on the tailgate of the fire department pickup truck,” Mascolo said regarding Turk.

Numerous liquor cans were spotted by the officer in the truck’s cab.

The Mountie attempted to calm Turk down, who was “swinging his arms” toward emergency responders.

“There was screaming and swearing,” Mascolo said. “Mr. Turk clinched his fist and did make contact with the officer who was trying to affect arrest.”

A pair of knee strikes by the officer on Turk allowed the officer to detain the drunk driver, while a blood alcohol reading showed Turk was well beyond twice the legal limit to be driving.

He was the truck’s lone occupant.

Thomas Park, Turk’s lawyer, told the hearing his client accepts responsibility for his actions and has taken steps to maintain sobriety.

Turk has no prior criminal record, while he does have a pair of dated prior 24-hour driving prohibitions for impaired driving.

The offender doesn’t have any diagnosed mental health disorders, court was told.

Turk declined to comment in court.

He was fined $1,000, handed a one-year driving ban, and one-year probation, which includes alcohol abstention.

As part of a plea deal, a pair of charges were dropped, including assaulting a peace officer.

Judge Ronald Lamperson accepted the jointly submitted sentencing recommendation.

The judge said it’s fortunate nobody was injured or killed.

“It’s a very serious offence, the fact that you were this intoxicated, 200 milligrams is very high,” judge Lamperson said.

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