EDMONTON — An Alberta man was sentenced to five years in prison for a bizarre rampage that involved carjackings, muggings and a pedestrian ramming.
Darren James Young, 35, of Daysland, earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving, hit and run, extortion, robbery and theft over $5,000.
Provincial court Judge Paul Sully also gave Young with a three-year driving ban and ordered him to pay $26,000 in restitution to three of the victims.
After getting 21 months credit for the time he spent in pre-trial custody, Young has 40 months left to serve.
Just before being sentenced Monday, Young apologized, blaming his actions on his addiction to drugs.
He said he can’t believe he almost killed someone and terrorized and manhandled several people.
“I am very truly sorry. There is no excuse for what I’ve done,” said Young.
On Dec. 2, 2008, Young tried to buy a pickup truck being unloaded in south Edmonton. The owner said no and left, but when he came back out, Young was rifling through his Silverado.
Young threatened the man with a wrench, but the man grabbed a rock and his wife brandished a piece of wood and Young was rebuffed.
He then went to a nearby gas station and stole a car belonging to a customer who was inside paying for fuel.
The owner tried to grab the keys, but Young drove off with the man hanging out the window. After 200 metres, the man was able to get the keys and escape.
Young’s next victim was a middle-aged woman at a bus stop. He grabbed her purse and dragged the woman, whose arm was hooked into the purse, towards his pickup.
A man in a Jeep Wrangler pulled over to help and Young jumped into the running vehicle, where the man’s young daughter sat in the passenger seat.
Another Good Samaritan got the girl out of the Jeep before Young sped off, hitting the owner and breaking his pelvis.
Young got into a three-vehicle smashup and fled after stealing a City of Edmonton service truck.
He next accosted an elderly couple returning home from picking up their grandchildren at school and stole the woman’s purse before fleeing again in the city truck.
He then pulled over on Whyte Avenue and robbed another woman of her purse while armed with a hammer. He answered her cellphone and told her brother he wanted money for her ransom.
Young next grabbed a woman by her neck outside a bank and tried to steal her cheque.
He drove off with police in pursuit and was nabbed when he slammed into a tree.