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Guilty verdict for crime spree, crash into Aldersyde Patro Canada

Two years after a crazed driver created havoc on the roads between High River and Black Diamond a judge found the accused man guilty of eight offences, including robbery and dangerous driving.

Two years after a crazed driver created havoc on the roads between High River and Black Diamond a judge found the accused man guilty of eight offences, including robbery and dangerous driving.

Last week James Robert Hicks was convicted on eight of 15 charges related to a driving rampage that stretched from Calgary to the Foothills.

He was found guilty of robbery, dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, resisting a police officer, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, evading police, assault with a weapon and mischief.

Lawyers in the case will give their arguments for sentencing in Okotoks court June 2.

The judge dismissed charges of impaired driving and possession of illegal substances, due to lack of evidence and evidentiary problems. Bags of cocaine found in Hicks car were analyzed by a lab, but the analysis was not entered into evidence at his trial. Bags of cocaine found in the clothes removed by EMS were taken off without the RCMP present and therefore could not be tied to Hicks.

June 19, 2014 Hicks stole two vehicles, caused two collisions, crashed his car and smashed into the Aldersyde Petro Canada convenience store.

The hour-long driving rampage started in Calgary at Deerfoot Trail and Memorial Drive. Hicks was driving at a high rate of speed on southbound on Deerfoot Trail in heavy rain when his car spun out and plunged over an embankment, through a fence and into a tree. People who witnessed the accident stopped to help. Hicks stole a Nissan Xterra parked on the side of the road by someone who came to his aid. He drove the Xterra south towards Okotoks.

Several motorists on Highway 7 reported a speeding Xterra making dangerous maneuvers, driving in the wrong lane and some people testified they had to move out of the way to avoid being struck.

Hicks stopped at the Aldersyde Petro Canada and backed into the store through the glass doors, sending shelving and racks flying. There were several people in the store, but no one was hurt. He drove back and forth twice inside the store and then drove away.

Judge Pat McIlhargey called the destruction in the store extensive.

“The damage to the store and the storefront can only described as catastrophic,” he said.

Hicks continued west on Highway 7 and rear-ended a pickup truck and then hit a Volker Stevin gravel truck. Again several people stopped and Hicks tried to take a car belonging to someone else. The woman who owned the car tried to stop Hicks and he threatened her while holding a knife. A police officer arrived at the scene and tried to pull Hicks from the car. However, Hicks was able to take off in the vehicle.

Police pursued Hicks, but it was called off when the speeds reached 160 km/hr. He was able to evade two spike belts and turned onto Secondary Highway 783, (also known as Dump Road). The road came to a dead end and Hicks became stuck in a field. Police officers broke the window of the car, as the wheels continued to spin, and pulled Hicks out and placed him under arrest.

McIlhargey rejected Hicks testimony that he suffered trauma from crashing his car and couldn’t remember a large portion of the chaos he wreaked. The judge pointed out Hicks testified that he lost memory after crashing his car on Deerfoot Trail and later testified he took a flashlight, wallet and cell phone from his car and put it in the Xterra.

“I do not accept the accused’s evidence nor am I left in doubt by it,” McIlhargey said.

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