Jon Michael Aronson

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

A Kelowna man who has become notorious for high-speed police chases tapped on his brakes once Sept. 23, 2019 and within a minute sped into his next crash, the court heard today Oct. 14.

John Michael Aronson is on trial for charges of flight from police, dangerous operation of a conveyance, two charges of driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code of Canada and breaching probation for a Sept. 23, 2019 incident. According to Crown prosecutor Dave Ruse, Aronson led police on a chase just after being released from a 251-day stint in jail for a 2018 police chase that ended at the Orchard Park mall CIBC, involved police dogs, guns and emergency response teams and left him confined to a wheel-chair as he healed.

He was in a wheelchair again today during his trial when Const. Michael Gauthier testified. Gauthier said he was driving a marked police cruiser Sept. 23, 2019 when other RCMP said a brown Buick was marked for a pullover. 

He said he could assist at around 6:10 p.m. and followed the Buick down Highway 97, toward West Kelowna, starting from around Pandosy Street.

Const. Gauthier said he saw the Buick go over the bridge, and was trying to catch up. He didn't put on his lights because "the bridge is not an ideal location to conduct a traffic stop."

"I had no equipment activated, (I was) trying to get closer to the vehicle until I can locate a safe spot to pull it over," he said. "It takes a bit of time to get across the bridge, there are other vehicles, I am maneuvering around other vehicles as much as I can until I am behind the Buick."

By the time he was at the Westside Road exit, he had more or less caught up — there were about 10 car lengths between him and Aronson — and that's when he put on his lights and sirens.

The Buick continued along the off ramp, with him in pursuit, and approached the red light.

"For a brief moment I observed brake lights and he may have slowed (for a brief moment I thought it would stop), then it became evident that wasn’t going to happen," Gauthier told the court.

Then the Buick went through the red light and for the safety of the public, Gauthier deactivated the cruiser's lights and pulled over immediately.

"I was right at the base of the onramp from Westside to Highway 97," he said. "Then I can say 100 per cent the vehicle was accelerating westbound on Highway 97."

Within a minute or two he heard that the Buick was in a collision.

"I waited momentarily and attended the scene. There was a multiple vehicle collision," Gauthier said. "The Buick at this point was on the opposite side (eastbound) of the highway and there were several vehicles involved in the collision, very close to Boucherie."

Up on the shoulder of the eastbound lanes was the vehicle he attempted to stop and Aronson was within.

Ironically, it was only hours earlier that Aronson had also just promised the court he was a changed man.

“Almost dying was an eye-opener for me,” Aronson said in court Sept. 23, 2019, as he was sentenced to time-served on charges including flight from police and dangerous driving.

“I want to be there for my children. I’ve got a different focus on my life. I’m sorry (for) what I did. You won’t see me back here again.”

Before the 2018 incident when he ran from police, Aronson already had more than 30 prior convictions for crimes including driving while suspended as well as multiple assault and resisting arrest convictions.

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