WINNIPEG — A 24-year old Winnipeg man who rammed five police cruisers with a large transport truck last summer has been sentenced.
Wayne Rennie pleaded guilty to purposely smashing into the empty cars parked in front of the Public Safety Building on Princess Street on July 20 then leading police on a 100 kilometer high speed chase outside the city.
He was eventually stopped when police put a spike belt on a bridge and he realized he couldn’t go any further.
Rennie gave an exclusive interview to Global News from jail saying he had received a cellphone ticket hours earlier and feared he’d lose his job because he’d likely lose his drivers license.
WATCH: Exclusive July 22 story on Wayne Rennie
“Five demerits destroyed me,” Wayne Rennie said from behind a reinforced glass partition in the Winnipeg Remand Centre two days after the incident. “I was just really frustrated, upset, and I said, you know, if I’m going to lose my job, I’m going lose it all.”
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Man who rammed 5 Winnipeg police cars speaks from prison
On December 10, Rennie was sentenced to two and half years behind bars, banned from driving for two years and on 18 months supervised probation after he’s released.
In court when Rennie was given the chance to speak, he told the judge, “I’m embarrassed by my actions. What I did was stupidity. I apologize to police for putting them at risk and the same as (sic) the citizens.”
Judge Dale Schille said given the size of Rennie’s vehicle and his manner of driving, it’s lucky no one was hurt and he is not facing more severe charges.
Rennie at first faced 12 charges and pleaded guilty to mischief, assault with a weapon and flight from police.
He’ll also have to pay Manitoba Public Insurance back $66,269, the cost of repairs.
-with file from CJOB 680
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