A Manitoba judge has accepted a joint recommendation in the case of a Winnipeg safe ride driver who admitted he had been drinking prior to crashing a car into a Winnipeg fire hall this past March, causing significant damage.

Three people riding in the vehicle were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Jordan Watson, 21, pleaded guilty Thursday morning to operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level exceeding 0.08. A charge of impaired driving was stayed. Watson was fined $2200, received a one-year driving ban and was ordered to pay $4000 in restitution to Manitoba Public Insurance for damage to the fire hall.

“In some regards you got off lucky here,” Judge Murray Thompson told Watson. “And by that I mean you didn’t kill anybody and you didn’t kill yourself.”

Thompson said a situation like this would normally result in a jail sentence.

Court heard part of the reason that didn’t happen in this case is because this past August Watson pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of assault and sexual interference, which saved a 15-year-old girl from having to testify in court. He is awaiting sentencing in that matter. The Crown has indicated it will be seeking a prison sentence of four to five years for those offences.

Court heard the collision at the fire hall occurred around 4:30 a.m. on March 23.

Crown attorney Jacqueline Briard told court a vehicle was traveling southbound on Dawson Road at a high rate of speed when it hit a snowbank, went airborne and crashed into Fire Station No. 9. on Marion Street.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to the collision and three people who were intoxicated were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Briard told court Watson left the scene of the crash.

A shoe was found by police in the driver’s side area of the vehicle.

Court heard police located Watson walking along train tracks wearing one shoe and that officers noted he smelled of alcohol and observed he had been cut.

Court heard uncooperative witnesses who were in the vehicle indicated they wouldn’t talk because “snitches get stitches” only told police someone named Jordan was driving.

The Crown said the facts in the case are egregious and aggravating but that had the case gone to trial, a conviction wouldn’t have been a sure thing.

“Ultimately it’s circumstantial evidence that leads to the inference that Mr. Watson was behind the wheel of the car,” Briard told court. “He has minors in his vehicle while he’s supposed to be operating for safe rides Winnipeg and he’s caused atrocious damage to a building our community relies on for the safety of community members.”

Watson’s lawyer Alex Steigerwald told court his client is aware what he did was dangerous but noted Watson wasn’t driving for a safe rides group at the time of the collision, although he had been earlier in the day.

The judge accepted that explanation as it went uncontested by the Crown.

“He was not, in these circumstances, being paid for this ride,” Steigerwald told court. “His behaviour was inexcusable.”

“He didn’t just put other motorists and pedestrians at risk but also the individuals in his vehicle he put at great risk. It could’ve been a great deal worse.”

Watson remains in custody while awaiting sentencing on the unrelated charges.