WARNING: This story contains graphic content that some may find disturbing.
A man who drove his truck into a north Edmonton gas station in 2015 – injuring four employees, two severely – has been sentenced to six years behind bars.
Steven Cloutier received his sentence Monday afternoon. Because of time already served, he has four years and 91 days left on his sentence.
Cloutier’s lawyer, Shawn Gerstel, said he wasn’t surprised with the sentence but added it was longer than he had hoped for.
“At the end of the day, I think it’s a fair sentence. It’s obviously not what we were hoping for. We had asked for considerably less given the mental health factors that were at play with Mr. Cloutier,” Gerstel said.
The Crown had asked for a five- to seven-year sentence for Cloutier, along with a 10-year driving prohibition. Cloutier’s lawyers asked the judge for a sentence of three-and-a-half years plus three years probation.
“His moral culpability is high because he deliberately did this,” provincial court Judge Mike Allen said following the sentence.
The judge said he took Cloutier’s upbringing into account when deciding his sentence but didn’t find his sorrow was reflective of genuine remorse.
Gerstel said he disagreed with the judge’s opinion, adding his client is sorry for what he did.
“In my opinion, Mr. Cloutier absolutely is remorseful for what happened and he’s ready to move on with his life at this point,” Gerstel said.
The 39-year-old pleaded guilty in July to two counts of aggravated assault, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, mischief over $5,000 and assault.
Cloutier told police he was “past the breaking point” on Nov. 18, 2015 when he drove his Ford F-150 through a Petro-Canada gas station in the area of 96 Street and 118 Avenue.
READ MORE: Staff ‘deserved what they got’: Man told police after ramming truck through Petro Canada station
During the trial, court heard Cloutier left his driver’s licence with the store clerk and went out to the pre-pay pump, but it didn’t work. The clerk thought Cloutier left a credit card and told another staff member to advise Cloutier over the intercom. By this time, Cloutier had moved his truck to a different pump, but it also required pre-payment. After alerting Cloutier over the intercom, he became upset and went back in the store.
The agreed statement of facts said Cloutier slammed his fist on the counter and yelled at the store clerk. He left the store without his driver’s licence. Fearing for their safety, staff locked the front door, then attempted to return his driver’s licence by sliding it through the after-hours payment slot. By that time, Cloutier had driven away.
About a minute later, Cloutier cut across three lanes of traffic and returned to the store. It was determined Cloutier was travelling at least 47 km/h when he drove his truck through the Petro-Canada.
READ MORE: Man drives truck into Edmonton gas station
- 2 teens charged with murder in case of 16-year-old killed outside Halifax mall
- Green Party deputy leader given jail sentence for Fairy Creek old growth protests
- Cars torched, explosions heard in suspected arson in Montreal neighbourhood
- Gas station clerk stabbed several times during violent attack at Ultramar in Montreal
Gas station employee Yeon Kim was pinned underneath the vehicle. Fellow employee Joseph Loutitt was pinned between the truck and the steel rubble.
Loutitt suffered two broken legs, a broken knee cap and broken shoulder blade, and said in court he was in a wheelchair for about five months.
Kim suffered broken legs, a shattered pelvis, compound ankle fracture, kidney damage, a blood infection and a broken jaw. Her shoulder was also injured and she is recovering from eye damage.
After the crash, Cloutier left the vehicle and punched one of the other female workers in the face stating: “How do you like that?”
One other female employee was also injured.
Watch below: Global News has the shocking surveillance video of a truck ramming through the front of a gas station. The man behind the wheel told police the employees he injured deserved it. Kendra Slugoski was in court on Monday as he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and other charges. WARNING: Video contains disturbing images.
Cloutier watched from across the street as emergency crews arrived at the gas station. Once in police custody, he told the investigator he should be in a mental hospital, and explained that his downward spiral began after his sister died by suicide.
During a sentencing hearing in November, Cloutier told the court he was deeply sorry and that nobody deserves to be run over, hurt or yelled at.
In the time he’s spent in the Edmonton Remand Centre, Cloutier has taken a few courses, including the prison’s boot camp and a life skills course, his lawyer said.
READ MORE: Inside the Edmonton Remand Centre’s boot camp for inmates
“He knows what happened was an extreme overreaction. This isn’t something where he thinks that these people deserve what they got. When he made those comments in his police statement, he was having a difficult time in his life,” Gerstel said. “I think being in the Remand Centre, taking the courses that he has, he’s realized the wrong in his ways.”
With files from Kendra Slugoski and Quinn Ohler, Global News.
Comments