Dad headed to jail after "violent encounter" (Manitoba, Canada)

As Bugs Bunny would say, what a maroon.

Daddy is identified as SHANE BAPTISTE.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/10/07/manitoba-father-headed-to-jail-for-violent-encounter-at-waterpark

Manitoba father headed to jail for violent encounter at waterpark

The Canadian Press
First posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2015 12:01 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, October 07, 2015 02:09 PM CDT

A Manitoba father has been sentenced to two years less a day after a family trip to a waterpark ended with a dangerous, high-speed chase down the Trans-Canada Highway with his wife and three children in the van.

Shane Baptiste, 39, pleaded guilty to several charges Tuesday, admitting he threatened a woman and punched an RCMP officer in the face.

He told court he feels bad about it, adding that he feels apologetic every day for what he did.

Baptiste took his family to Splash Island in Portage la Prairie, Man., on July 25 but the fun afternoon turned sour when he got into an argument with another patron and threatened to kill her and her family.

The woman, who works as a probation officer, called police but when an RCMP officer arrived moments later, Baptiste slugged him in the face.

Court was told several children at the waterpark witnessed the violent encounter, including Baptiste's own children.

Baptiste then ordered his family to get into their van and sped away, blowing through several stop signs and school zones at nearly 100 kilometres an hour, increasing that to 180 kilometres an hour once he hit the highway.

"This was probably the fastest his van could go," Crown attorney Joyce Dalmyn told court. "This is one of the most egregious motor vehicle flights from police we've seen. His speeds are ridiculous. Frankly, it's nothing shy of a miracle his three children weren't injured."

Baptiste eventually drove over a spike belt laid down by other RCMP officers and abandoned his van -- and his family -- by taking off on foot.

He turned himself in at a local police detachment days later, after his picture had been released to media outlets.

Baptiste has a lengthy prior criminal record which includes two previous assaults against police officers.

"He didn't think," defence lawyer Greg Brodsky told court. "He feels badly about his inappropriate behaviour. He acknowledges that he was driving in a ridiculous fashion."