GEORGETOWN, P.E.I. — THREE RIVERS – A Murray River man who was charged with dangerous driving after he was caught going 186 km/h on a motorcycle and later hit a police vehicle with the bike’s mirror was sentenced Thursday to 30 days in jail.
Eric Bernard McKenna, 27, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Georgetown for sentencing after previously entering a guilty plea.
As Orr reviewed the facts in the case, she said the police first saw two motorcycles driving 186 km/h in a 90 km/h zone near Vernon Bridge.
The police reported McKenna continued to drive at excessive speeds and at one point, lifted the motorcycle’s front tire off the road before continuing to drive that way for about 200 metres.
There was other traffic on the road at the time and the court heard McKenna went through the roundabout in Pooles Corner where the police had gathered to try to stop him.
McKenna hit one of the police vehicles with a mirror on his motorcycle as he tried to avoid it in Pooles Corner.
His motorcycle wasn’t registered, insured or inspected.
Defence lawyer Karen MacLeod told the court McKenna wasn’t aware the police were after him at the time.
McKenna admitted he was driving at excessive speeds when no other vehicles were around, but would drive slower when he encountered traffic, MacLeod said.
She also said McKenna didn’t realize at the time that he hit the police vehicle and there was no damage to his motorcycle.
The court heard that McKenna turned himself in about 1.5 hours later.
MacLeod told the court McKenna says he is done with motorcycles and has put his up for sale.
In his submissions, Crown attorney Chad McQuaid said it was concerning that a pre-sentence report referred to McKenna’s belief that all motorcycle owners travel at high speeds.
Orr, who said she drove the same stretch of road that morning on her way to court, questioned how anyone could think about driving 186 km/h on any road in P.E.I.
She also said it was “incomprehensible” how anyone wouldn’t be looking at their speedometer at that speed.
Orr said if anyone had come out in front of McKenna or if he had hit a rut in the road the situation could have been much worse.
Along with the jail time, McKenna will be banned from driving for one year after his release and will be on probation for one year.
He must also pay $2,975 in restitution to the RCMP for the damage to the police vehicle.
