While attempting to extinguish the fire in the street, an employee of the Co-op gas station uses the fire extinguisher to keep distance between himself and the suspect who started the fire in the first place. (Facebook/Gagandeep Saini)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Fire outside Prince Albert gas station results in two year jail sentence

Nov 27, 2025 | 2:00 PM

A man who lit a gas can on fire outside a Prince Albert gas station, and then was observed taunting staff members while they worked to extinguish the flames, has received a two-year jail sentence.

Sherman Henderson’s case was discussed Thursday morning at provincial court. With remand credit, the 38-year-old has roughly 16 months left to serve.

Last July’s incident occurred outside the Lake Country Co-op gas station on 16th St. W.

According to facts read by Crown Prosecutor Gail Douglas, a man who was en route to the lake was filling up some gas cans. Henderson was nearby and observed making strange noises from a fence area. He soon approached the man.

Not wanting anything to do with the stranger, the man retreated into his truck but left the gas can behind.

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After lighting the jerry can on fire, Henderson tossed it towards the street.

Staff members quickly rushed to the rescue and in addition to being taunted by Henderson, one of them was also assaulted. Henderson also threw the lighter at them.

The police arrived soon after and Henderson who attempted to run away, was arrested nearby.

There were no injuries, but Douglas, who noted there were multiple gas stations in the area, said the incident could have ended much worse.

Henderson’s lawyer said he was high at the time, and since the passing of his sister 20 years ago, had been struggling with a meth addiction. The courtroom also heard that while Henderson is from Montreal Lake Cree Nation, he grew up in foster care.

Acknowledging Henderson had a number of Gladue factors that contributed to his behaviour and had been deeply impacted the loss of his sister, Judge Bazin told him he must go forward and get off the meth.

“There’s no reasonableness to it,” he said.

In addition to the arson, Henderson also entered guilty pleas for separate incidents involving theft of a couch from the Gateway Mall and the assault of a security team member, who he punched in the face.

He also accepted responsibility for an incident that occurred outside the Wal-Mart store where he was swinging a large stick at people and smashing shopping carts into parked vehicles. Those resulting sentences will run concurrently to the most serious conviction.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

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