A young Montrealer guilty of causing a chase at more than 180 km/h in a newly stolen SUV got away with nine months in prison at home, so he could continue his physiotherapy following another road accident.
Jo Alromhin and Hanna Abdo, 24 and 22 years old, arrived all smiles at the Montreal courthouse this Friday. And for good reason, one knew he would receive a slap on the wrist, while the other was going to get through it completely.
“Every day, vehicle theft makes the headlines, it’s a scourge,” commented Judge Geneviève Graton. But before imposing a sentence of incarceration, I must evaluate any possibility of punishment, and in this sense a sentence to be served at home is reasonable. »
This explains this, Alromhin, who has no criminal record, was able to benefit from this measure for his crimes committed in April 2023.
Jo Alromhin was driving this stolen Honda CR-V in Ontario when he caused a high-speed chase on Highways 30 and 40 in April 2023. COURTESY
Courtesy
From 30 to 40 at high speed
That night, a resident of Cornwall, Ontario had just had his Honda CR-V stolen, a vehicle particularly popular with car thieves. And just after, Alromhin was seen driving it crazy on Highway 30, near Vaudreuil-Dorion, towards Montreal.
“The investigation report indicates that it is common to see vehicles stolen in Ontario to be brought to the Port of Montreal,” explained Me Boutet.
And if that was Alromhin’s goal, he seemed in a hurry since he was caught by patrol officers driving at 180km/h.
The police quickly tried to catch up with the driver. The task, however, proved delicate since Alromhin began to zigzag between other road users, still at high speed.
The Sûreté du Québec police officers were, however, helped by the orange cones which invaded the metropolis, since a work zone at the entrance to the island slowed the driver down enough for him to be caught.
But rather than stopping, Alromhin started again, still at high speed.
“There was a call for reinforcements and the deployment of a nail carpet,” explained the Crown.
According to authorities, Hanna Abdo was a passenger in the stolen vehicle driven by Jo Alromhin in April 2023. The charges against him were, however, withdrawn. He is seen here at the Montreal courthouse, this Friday, November 1, 2024, in the company of his lawyer Me Hovsep Dadaghalian, and a relative [en arrière-plan]. PHOTO MICHAËL NGUYEN
Photo Michaël Nguyen
Tap on the fingers
But even after having his tires punctured, the driver continued his race. This ended at the entrance to Highway 13, when the rubber from the CR-V’s tires came off the rim.
Alromhin was arrested on the spot, as was Abdo who was a passenger according to the authorities. But rather than go to trial, the driver of the stolen vehicle chose to plead guilty this Friday. He thus admitted to his dangerous driving, to having refused to stop on the orders of the police, but also to receiving the stolen SUV.
However, he was not charged with car theft due to lack of sufficient evidence. And since he had no record of similar crimes, it became difficult to justify detention, so much so that he was sentenced to home prison.
This will allow him to continue his physiotherapy for hand injuries sustained when he himself was the victim of a driver a few months earlier.
“At 24, it is time for you to gain maturity,” commented the magistrate.
Abdo, for his part, saw the charges dropped, so he no longer has to worry about justice.
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