Jail awaits P.E.I. biker who clipped cruiser after being clocked at 186 km/h

A Prince Edward Island motorcyclist who was clocked at 186 kilometres an hourand then clipped a police car has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Eric Bernard McKenna, 27, of Cape Bear appeared Thursday in Georgetown provincial court. He had earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

In handing down sentence, Judge Nancy Orr called the incident "incomprehensible."

RCMP clocked McKenna at 186 km/h on Route 1 near Vernon Bridge on May 15, according to facts read in court.

It was a Friday afternoon, about 5:45 p.m. An officer in an unmarked cruiser obtained the radar reading, and followed at a distance as McKenna and another motorcyclist passed other vehicles on the road.

McKenna pulled a wheelieafter the pair of motorcycles turned on to Route 3 at Buster's garage in Cherry Valley. McKenna rode his motorcycle on the rear wheel only, with the front wheel in the air "the length of the uphill grade" from the intersection on Route 3, according to the facts.

On Route 3, police clocked McKenna's bike at 150 km/h. Police in marked cruisers were dispatched to the roundabout at Poole's Corner.

Motorcycle's mirror clipped cruiser at roundabout

At the roundabout, McKenna "leaned at a tight angle," according to the facts, to maneuver his motorcycle around a cruiser. The mirror of McKenna's motorcycle clipped the cruiser, and McKenna kept going.

He turned himself in about 90 minutes later.

Crown prosecutor Chad McQuaid called for 45 days jail. Defence lawyer Karen MacLeod requested house arrest, because weekend sentences are not currently available in provincial jail due to the pandemic.

McKenna had no prior record and does not use drugs or alcohol, according to his defence lawyer.

Had any child, dog, runner, senior citizen or horse and buggy wandered onto the road, the matter would have been quite different.- Judge Nancy Orr

MacLeod told court McKenna is an ambitious, capable young man with a steady job who still has a positive contribution to make to the community. The judge agreed, but had strong words as she handed down sentence.

As well as being a busy car corridor, Route 3 is a well-travelled route for Amish families living in the area. Judge Orr said she knows it well.

"How can you contemplate going 186 km/h on an Island road?" said Orr."Had any child, dog, runner, senior citizen or horse and buggy wandered onto the road, the matter would have been quite different."

No evidence of remorse shown

Orr was also concerned by comments McKenna made to justice officials who prepared a report on the matter. According to the report, McKenna felt no remorse, and told justice officials "that's what bikers do."

McKenna had no insurance or registration for the motorcycle. Court heard he has sold the motorcycle to pay his legal bills.

In addition to 30 days in jail, McKenna was banned from driving for one year and will be on probation for a year.

He was ordered to pay $2,975 for damage to the police cruiser.

A charge of failing to stop for police was stayed.

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