Man charged with attempted murder sentenced to time served for running victim over with pickup truck

A man who was accused of attempted murder for running a man over with his pickup truck last summer will soon be released from jail.

A Midland, Ont. man who was accused of attempted murder for running a man over with his pickup truck last summer will soon be released from jail.

Jacob Wallis, 25, pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to dangerous driving and assault with a weapon in the August 2024 attack that was recorded on surveillance video in a Midland Avenue convenience store parking lot.

Justice Paul Bellefontaine, who presided by video in a Midland courtroom, accepted the defence request of time served and 45 days for breaching a release order.

Wallis, the court heard, was arrested following the parking lot attack, and released a week later under strict conditions, including house arrest.

Four months later, days before Christmas, police said Wallis was behind the wheel of a vehicle that fled from a R.I.D.E. check in town. Witnesses identified Wallis as the driver, and he was taken back into custody for breaching his release order.

• Related | Midland man accused of attempted murder, fleeing R.I.D.E. program denied bail

The Crown played the shocking video of the parking lot attack for the court. Wallis was initially charged by provincial police in Midland with attempted murder, but the Crown and defence made a deal in which Wallis avoided going to trial in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser offences.

Surveillance video showed Wallis, who was identified by police as the driver of the white pickup truck that night, hitting the man and launching him several metres into a curb before speeding off. The man, the court heard, was knocked unconscious and was bleeding from his head but walked away from the scene.

In 2023, the Crown told the court Wallis spent 15 months behind bars for assault causing bodily harm, saying he clearly had not learned his lesson.

Still, the out-of-town judge sentenced Wallis to time served, crediting him with nine months in pre-sentence custody for dangerous driving and assault with a weapon, finding the sentence fell within the appropriate range for the offence.

Justice Bellefontaine said though Wallis displayed “horrible driving” and intended “to cause significant bodily harm” and “should’ve been a lot more conscious” of his decision-making that night - the attack took place during a “relatively short period of time” after Wallis had been provoked by the victim.

Defence lawyer D’Arcy Leitch told the court on the night of the attack, the victim made a remark to Wallis about his brother who had recently passed away from leukemia. Leitch said the man told Wallis “I heard your brother got what he deserved” which then set Wallis off. The defence called the gravity of the offence “relatively low” because the victim fully recovered from his minor injuries.

Justice Bellefontaine credited Wallis for being a steadily employed and longtime contributing member of society, who the court heard had worked from the age of 16 and was backed by a supportive family.

The Crown told the court prior to running the man over that night, Wallis was seen trying to disguise his face while holding a weapon up his sleeve.

The Crown asked Wallis be sentenced to between 18 and 24 months.

The judge ruled Wallis will spend about 45 more days in jail for breaching the conditions of his release by violating house arrest and being behind the wheel while fleeing the police spot check.

Wallis was also placed on probation and is barred from having weapons on him for 10 years. All other charges against Wallis, including attempted murder, were withdrawn.

Once he is released from custody in about a month, Wallis will be banned from driving for two years.