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Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File photo/paNOW Staff)
Crime

Guilty pleas entered in Prince Albert ride share shooting incident

Dec 13, 2022 | 2:24 PM

A woman charged after a Prince Albert ride share offer took a bad turn, has entered guilty pleas and now awaits sentencing.

Jeanique April’s matters were spoken to Tuesday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court. The 28-year-old was scheduled to face trial but instead entered guilty pleas to assault with a weapon, and theft.

Pending the preparation of a pre-sentence report, April is scheduled to be sentenced March 6, 2023.

The case dates back to Jan. 4, 2021. Police officers responded to the 500 block of 22nd St. E after a report of a shooting. At the time, police indicated one man was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to his back.

Speaking afterwards to paNOW on the condition of anonymity, the victim explained how he offered to provide two women in the city a ride through the Facebook group, P.A. Safe Rides.

After multiple stops, including a trip to Sturgeon Lake, the driver arrived back at an address in the city’s east hill area where a third person climbed in.

When the passengers asked to go to another location, the driver, explaining he was tired, declined. At that point, the victim claims one of the women attempted to steal his keys.

The man who had climbed into the back seat, suddenly got out and moved to the driver’s side window where he stabbed the victim in the arm, and then threatened to kill him if he didn’t give them the truck.

The driver responded by speeding off but while doing so was shot in the back. He spent three weeks in hospital and still has a bullet lodged in his rib.

The man who pulled the trigger, Derek Cook, was sentenced in April, 2021, He received a four-year prison term after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and breach of probation.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

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