A man has entered guilty pleas to several charges in relation to an Antigonish Co. ATV theft that eventually led to a traffic collision and delays.
Police say they received a report of a theft of an ATV side-by-side on Monk’s Head Rd. in November.
They say the ATV was later spotted along Hwy. 104 near Riverside International Speedway in James River, but the driver fled when officers tried to pull him over.
RCMP say the ATV was found flipped over in the highway’s eastbound lanes in Beaver Meadow; an officer tried to use his vehicle to block that lane of traffic, but an approaching driver couldn’t stop in time, and there was a collision with minor damage to both vehicles, but no injuries.
They say a police dog tracked the suspect for more than an hour in the area; he was eventually arrested without further incident.
Mitchell Anthony Speight, 22, of Amherst faces charges of possession of stolen property over $5000, evading police, prohibited driving and a breach; he made his first appearance in the case in November.
Speight was released from custody; he was scheduled for an election-and-plea hearing in January, but didn’t show up, and the judge in the case issued a bench warrant.
He was arrested in Amherst, and returned to Antigonish in February; he was sent back into custody.
Speight was expected for a bail hearing in Antigonish Provincial Court Wednesday; instead, he pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property, flight from police, driving while disqualified and eight breaches, seven of which were from Amherst.
He was sentenced to eight months in jail, but only has three months remaining after he received time-and-a-half credit for time already served; he also received one year of probation and a three-year driving ban.
