Several court outcomes were released last week regarding crimes in the Merritt area.
Merritt man pleads guilty to firearms charges
On November 2, 2021, Mr. Christopher Skidmore pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without a license and careless storage of a firearm.
On January 9, 2021 just before 8 p.m., Merritt RCMP responded to a 9-1-1 emergency call after a Sun Valley resident allegedly fire a non-restricted firearm towards a neighbouring residence during a dispute. The Southeast District Emergency Response Team was immediately deployed to Merritt to assist, while front line officers responded to the scene to assess the situation.
The suspect, a44-year-old Merritt man, Christopher Jonathan Skidmore, was taken into custody at approximately 2 a.m. by the RCMP Southeast District Emergency Response Team without further incident. A further search of the man’s residence led to the seizure of a shot gun.
Mr. Skidmore received a conditional sentence order for six months, followed by 18 months of probation, a ten-year mandatory firearms prohibition and a $200 victim surcharge.
Kamloops man pleads guilty after a crime spree
On November 4, 2021, Mr. Michael Lazaruk pleaded guilty to Flight from Police, Carry a Concealed Weapon and Theft of a Motor Vehicle, stemming from a crime spree that occurred in April, 2021.
On April 1, 2021, the Logan Lake RCMP was alerted to a suspicious vehicle that was eventually located with a single male occupant in the Logan Lake Library parking lot. When police attempted to stop the vehicle it fled at a high rate of speed. It was later determined to be stolen.
The Logan Lake RCMP located the suspect and stolen vehicle a short time later at a private residence in the 8500-block of Highway 97C. The suspect had allegedly broken into the residence and subsequently stole a motorhome, among other property including firearms, and again fled from police towards Merritt BC.
The Merritt RCMP successfully deployed a spike belt and stopped the motorhome on a commercial property near the 2600-block of Highway 97C. The suspect driver, Michael Lazaruk, was taken into police custody.
Mr. Lazaruk was sentenced to 180 days in jail and probation for 1 year.
Merritt woman pleads guilty to theft under $5000
On April 2, 2021, Merritt RCMP received a report that a female had stolen a wallet from a parked vehicle in the 2300 block of Nicola Avenue. Front line officers responded and were able to identify the female from surveillance footage. The female was arrested a short time later, the wallet was located in her possession and returned to its owner.
On November 2, 2021, Ms. Ramona Michel pleaded guilty to theft under $5000. She was given a suspended sentence and probation for 9 months.
