A Sylvan Lake-area man convicted of arson was sentenced to six months of house arrest and curfew in Red Deer provincial court on Friday.
Logan William Graham, 22, is one of two men charged with the torching of a vehicle that was connected to a fatal hit and run.
Graham pleaded guilty to arson and was sentenced to three months of house arrest followed by a three-month 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. He will then be on probation for 12 months.
Trystan Sorensen, 18, died at the side of Hwy 592 , west of Penhold, on May 20 after being hit by a passing motorist who then drove off.
A day later, Graham and another man, Steven Lagace, took a Dodge SUV owned by Jessica Masyk, of Innisfail, and burned it in a field.
Crown prosecutor Katie Clarey said Graham, who did not have a criminal record, later phoned police and confessed his involvement in that crime.
Lagace, who was sentenced in October to 26 months in prison for arson and charges related to another incident, was the one who poured the diesel on the vehicle and lit it. There was no evidence that Graham was aware of why the vehicle was being destroyed, the court heard.
Masyk, 25, is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal collision, mischief and driving while disqualified in connection with the death of Sorensen.
Masyk faces further charges in connection with an incident in Red Deer in August, when a police car and other vehicles were smashed by two suspects trying to escape arrest. She is scheduled to stand trial in Red Deer provincial court on Feb. 27.
Defence lawyer Dave Inglis said since the incident Graham has moved to Saskatchewan to live on a farm with his aunt and uncle. While he previously had some issues with drugs he is turning his life around and has an oilfield job lined up in January.
There was some discussion in court about whether a package of victim impact statements, including one from Amy Sorensen, the hit-and-run victim’s mother, who was present in court, would be read into the record.
However, after being reviewed by the defence and Crown prosecutor it was determined the statements could not be linked directly to Graham’s crime and were not included as part of sentencing by Judge Bert Skinner.
Graham was asked by the judge if he had anything to say.
“I really regret what I did and I feel terrible about it,” Graham said.
The accused is not be confused with another local man of a similar name and age, Penhold resident Logan Gregory Graham.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com