A man who used a stolen pickup truck to crush police cars and who attacked a grocery store employee with a knife will spend two more years in jail.
In provincial court in Nanaimo on Tuesday, both Crown and defence lawyers entered a joint submission for Majore Jackson, 34, after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a weapon, one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Justice Brian Harvey sentenced him to 1,494 days for possessing stolen property, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and assault, with 765 days’ credit in the truck incident, and a year in jail for the knife attack, to be served concurrently.
Jackson was arrested, along with Andrew John Bellwood, on the morning of April 25, 2018 near Yellow Point Road in Cedar after a report of a stolen Dodge pickup truck two days earlier. Police had tracked the vehicle to Roberts Road.
Crown counsel Basil McCormick told the court police blocked off Roberts Road and watched the truck turn around and come toward them.
The truck evaded a police vehicle and rammed another vehicle, said McCormick, and drove over the hood and windshield of the passenger’s side.
The truck continued toward another police vehicle, mounted the hood and turned onto the windshield.
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Jackson and Bellwood fled the scene, but were tracked down later with the help of a police dog.
One police officer suffered injuries including “soft tissue pain,” post-concussive symptoms, limited neck mobility, and left shoulder and back pain. The incident continues to impact the officer psychologically, said McCormick.
Six years before the incident, on April 19, Jackson had been observed in a Quality Foods store, leaving with a concealed $7 container of ice cream.
He was confronted by a theft-prevention officer, produced a “large knife” and “lunged” at the employee, according to McCormick.
Jackson is of First Nations ancestry and was said to be addicted to drugs at that time, but has cleaned up while incarcerated. He is eligible for Guthrie House’s therapeutic community for drug addiction at Nanaimo Correctional Centre.
McCormick declined to comment after sentencing, but defence lawyer Stephen Taylor said the result was appropriate.
“I think it was a great example of Crown and defence working together for the public’s benefit, as well as the benefit of an accused,” said Taylor. “I’m really impressed with the effort that the Crown put in to come up with the right balance of deterrence and rehabilitation factors.”
Jackson will also be subject to conditions upon his release, including a five-year driving prohibition.
