A day of violence in 2021 that involved stolen vehicles, drug use, a shooting, a carjacking and arson has ended with a prison sentence for a 28-year-old man.
Last fall, Forest Reginald Whitlow, of Six Nations of the Grand River, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, two counts of robbery with a firearm, possession of stolen property, failure to stop at an accident and arson.
On Wednesday, Justice Glen Donald gave Whitlow a 5 1/2-year sentence.
The judge urged Whitlow to use his time in prison to “dramatically” turn around his life.
“If you do not seize the opportunity and apply yourself, it seems likely you will re-offend and you can expect the protection of the public and your separation from it to take a bigger role in sentencing.
Short head that on Feb. 7, 2021, Whitlow was found unresponsive in a stolen truck. But, when paramedics were ready to transport him to hospital, he jumped off the gurney and sped away in the truck.
High on drugs, Whitlow drove to Ingersoll in Oxford County where he looked for another vehicle to steal. He began to rummage through the truck of contractor Kirk Carter, who was at work at a job site. Carter saw Whitlow and called police before going outside to confront the thief.
“Wrong move, wrong choice,” Whitlow said to Carter, firing four shots, two of which shattered bones in the man’s arms.
Whitlow stole Carter’s truck and raced toward Six Nations. But, at an intersection in Norfolk County, he crashed into another vehicle. When a passing driver stopped to help, Whitlow jumped into the man’s vehicle and, at gunpoint, ordered a woman out. The vehicle was later found burned on Six Nations.
Whitlow was arrested the following day.
Defense lawyer Jaime Stephenson asked for a five-year sentence for Whitlow, noting that he experienced a violent upbringing as a child at the hands of his father.
Stephenson said Whitlow has been clean of drugs while in custody since his arrest.
Assistant Crown attorney Nancy Komsa asked the judge to consider a seven- to 10-year sentence for Whitlow, noting the gravity of his crimes.
“He wasn’t going to stop, no matter what.”
Komsa said that systemic and background factors Whitlow has experienced “don’t operate as an excuse.”
The judge said numerous factors came into play to work out a proper sentence for Whitlow, including his at-times traumatic upbringing and addiction.
But Donald said he also took into account Whitlow’s gun use, multiple victims and the lasting damage done to Carter.
“The event has devastated him,” the judge said of Carter.
“There was no suggestion Mr. Carter threatened Mr. Whitlow with violence. He behaved exactly as one might reasonably behave if they saw an unknown person in their vehicle and, for this, he was shot.”
Whitlow told the judge he “acted out of panic.
“I didn’t think of the repercussions and long-term effects but, now that I’m sober, I think of it often,” he said.
“I would like the victim to know I’m not apathetic. I pray for you and wish you a speedy recovery.”
The judge gave Whitlow no pandemic-enhanced credit for time served despite lockdowns and harsh conditions. Instead, he got the usual 1 1/2 days for every day spent in presentence custody, leaving Whitlow with just over 46 months left to serve.
“The time to change, sir, is now,” the judge said
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