A Chemical Valley contractor had more serious charges tossed out for flying down a rural highway near the region’s petrochemical plants after pleading guilty to careless driving.
But Lloyd Whitnack still didn’t escape a tongue-lashing from a Sarnia judge.
“Mr. Whitnack, slow down and don’t endanger members of this community with ridiculous driving like that in the future,” Justice Mark Poland said.
“Yes, sir, your honour. I realize that (was) a poor choice,” Whitnack responded.
“That’s for sure,” the judge said.
The court heard Whitnack was heading east on Petrolia Line in St. Clair Township in a silver Dodge Nitro with Alberta plates around 4 am on Nov. 20, 2021. An officer heading in the same direction noticed the Nitro passing other vehicles on the single- lane highway at excessive speeds.
“The vehicle was observed driving at least 150 kilometers an hour in a posted 90 km/h zone,” assistant Crown attorney Sarah Carmody said while reading an agreed statement of facts.
The officer pulled over Whitnack, who explained he had just finished a night shift at one of the area’s plants. His physical appearance, though, raised some red flags.
“His skin was very red and he was observed to be sweating profusely despite it being cold out,” Carmody said.
The court did not hear what may have been causing his physical symptoms, but multiple provincial offenses and criminal charges were ugly. They were all tossed out this week after Whitnack, charged with stunt driving, pleaded guilty to the lesser included offense of careless driving.
Defense lawyer Lucas O’Hara and Carmody both suggested a $750 fine, which Poland agreed to impose, but also included his stern lecture.