Man who drove over Airdrie RCMP officer while high on cocaine pleads guilty
He was high on cocaine and drunk when he drove over an Airdrie RCMP officer, dragged him 30 feet and then took off from police.
Skylar Stevens-Rose, 25, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated assault of a peace officer and four other charges related to fleeing police and resisting arrest.
Judge Peter Barley accepted the guilty plea negotiated by defence lawyer Alain Hepner and prosecutor Ron Simenik.
Sgt. Stephen Browne suffered a broken leg, which required surgery, and is expected to be off work for at least another six months as he recovers. He also suffered injuries to his ribs, abdomen, neck and elbow. He still hasn't been able to stand since he was injured.
Browne's partner, Staff Sgt. Troy Switzer, broke his hand during the incident and also suffered a torn ankle ligament.
Browne and Switzer were on patrol as part of Safe City Nights, a crime prevention program in Airdrie, on Dec. 1, 2018. It was about 2 a.m. when they noticed a Subaru driving erratically and attempted to pull it over.
'Completely run over'
The vehicle was registered to Stevens-Rose, who was out on bail, having been charged with drug trafficking offences in British Columbia.
Stevens-Rose refused to pull over for police and sped away. The officers followed until he got hung-up on a curb while trying to make a turn in a residential area of Airdrie.
It was at that time Browne got out of his police vehicle to attempt to make an arrest but Stevens-Rose reversed quickly, hitting both police cars and then Browne.
"Sgt. Browne was completely run over by the accused and dragged approximately 30 feet from his police vehicle before being thrown clear on the roadway," reads the agreed statement of facts.
Stevens-Rose then sped off again. He crashed head-on into another vehicle and continued to flee police, travelling up to 170 km/h.
On Range Road 290, he hit a ditch and then ran from the vehicle into a farmer's field.
Another officer arrived at the scene with a police dog that was able to track Stevens-Rose, who continued to resist arrest. It was at this point Const. Matheson broke his hand and tore an ankle ligament.
The total cost of damages to the three cars hit by Stevens-Rose was more than $30,000.
Stevens-Rose has been in custody since his arrest and was denied bail. He will be sentenced next month.
Simenik noted there will be at least three victim impact statements read during the sentencing hearing.
