A case of extreme road rage in Montérégie earned 90 days in prison for a young man, 22, ‘blinded by anger’ who had attempted to stab another motorist in the head.
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“A short period of imprisonment is necessary to reflect the seriousness of the offence, decided Julie Beauchesne, judge at the Court of Quebec. The Tribunal considers that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant a conditional discharge.”
On April 24, she sentenced Omran Al Radi to 90 days in jail and a two-year probation period including 150 hours of community service.
The young man pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon and causing bodily harm to Jeffrey Chagnon Mercier.
Pinned down and attacked
The case dates back to July 28, 2021, in Granby. The victim had stopped his vehicle to let a pedestrian cross.
Presuming that the oncoming van was not going to stop, however, Mr. Chagnon Mercier blocked the way and gave the driver of the van, the father of the accused, the finger of honor.
It was at this time that another vehicle in which Omran Al Radi was positioned so that the victim’s car was surrounded.
“The accused comes out with a knife and hits the vehicle. His brother Ibrahim Al Radi also tries to hit the victim”, relates the Court.
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Panicked, Jeffrey Chagnon Mercier hit the van while trying to flee.
“The defendant’s mother, carrying a baby in her arms when the motor vehicle is hitched, falls to the ground,” reads Judge Beauchesne’s judgment.
Mr. Chagnon Mercier then cleared off on foot, before being caught by the two brothers.
“The accused tries to stab him by striking in the direction of his neck and his head, but he dodges the stab wounds. It is by blocking one of them that he is hit by hand. During this time, the accused’s brother hit the victim and hit him in the face.
Anger
Subsequently, Omran Al Radi, who had no criminal record, admitted “having been invaded and blinded by anger when he feared for the safety of his family”, underlines the Court.
A probation officer indicated that it was a “criminogenic factor, a propensity for aggression induced by weak instinctual control and emotional overflow”.
Al Radi’s risk of recidivism would still be considered low, since he is well integrated socially and his pre-sentence report was positive.