Assaulting a man at an intersection leads to conditional sentence for P.E.I. resident
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. man who obtained out of a automobile and punched one other man within the face a number of occasions whereas each have been stopped at a pink mild has averted jail time for assault inflicting bodily hurt.
The offender – Dalton Kenneth Keeler – apologized in provincial courtroom in Charlottetown to the sufferer on the sentencing on Might 29 and stated his actions have been “inexcusable.”
“He deserved higher,” added Keeler, 24, referring to the sufferer who wasn’t in courtroom.
Keeler pleaded responsible to the assault cost on Feb. 23. The matter was adjourned to Might 29 so a pre-sentence report and a Gladue report discussing Keeler’s private circumstances and background data could possibly be ready to help the courtroom. A sufferer affect assertion was additionally filed with the courtroom.
A number of punches
On Nov. 13, 2022, at 3:47 a.m., Charlottetown police responded to a report of the assault on the intersection of College and Belvedere avenues, stated Crown legal professional Emily Campbell. Keeler and the sufferer have been each passengers in separate automobiles and beforehand did not know one another. There was honking between the 2 automobiles main as much as the intersection. Keeler obtained out of his automobile and punched the opposite man a number of occasions within the face. The sufferer was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for therapy for an orbital bone fracture.
Campbell stated the sufferer remains to be coping with bodily ache from the damage in addition to nightmares, panic assaults and nervousness from the assault.
Campbell requested 90 days in jail for the assault.
Adrenaline rush from combating
Referring to the stories, Campbell famous that Keeler stated he was so offended on the time of the offence that he “blacked out.” Campbell stated that whereas rising up in Prince Albert, Sask., Keeler skilled bodily abuse within the house and intergenerational trauma from residential faculties. Keeler additionally frolicked with gang members in Saskatchewan and used cocaine and heroin. After highschool, he moved to Summerside to dwell along with his brother. Keeler’s drug use continued in P.E.I. As properly, Keeler stated within the pre-sentence report that he loves combating and will get an adrenaline rush when doing it, stated Campbell.
Keeler’s prior prison file had just one prior entry for possession of an imitation weapon. For that offence, he was sentenced in P.E.I. on June 23, 2022, to at least one yr of probation. Given Keeler’s restricted prison file, youthful age, responsible plea and intergenerational trauma skilled as a Cree particular person, authorized help lawyer Justin Milne requested a conditional sentence for his consumer.
Coping with root causes
Milne famous there’s a plan in place to get Keeler linked with Indigenous providers to assist with the foundation causes of his anger points and “flight or struggle” responses to perceived threats.
“Sending him to jail for 90 days, that is not going to assist him with that,” stated Milne. “What we have to do to maintain the neighborhood secure is break the cycle of trauma and assist him.”
Milne additionally identified that because the November incident, Keeler hasn’t breached his launch circumstances.
6-month conditional sentence
Chief Decide Jeff Lantz raised issues with feedback within the pre-sentence report. Although Keeler is a former boxer, Lantz stated he was involved along with his perspective in the direction of combating. Lantz additionally raised a priority with Keeler’s cocaine use, however Milne responded that Keeler stated he hasn’t taken that drug for the previous three or 4 months.
Given the circumstances, Lantz imposed a six-month conditional sentence adopted by 18 months of probation. The circumstances of the sentence embrace home arrest and that he abstains from alcohol and “mind-altering” medicine. Keeler can also be required to write down a letter of apology to the sufferer and take any applications as directed by his supervisor.
Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and could be adopted on Twitter @terry_mcn.
