Manslaughter plea entered in death of gas station owner

Apology in gas-and-dash case The man charged after a gas station owner was killed in a gas-and-dash has apologized.

Edmonton — A man charged after a gas station owner was killed in a gas-and-dash apologized to the victim's family after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Ki Yun Jo, 54, was killed October 2017 outside his Fas Gas station in Thorsby.

In an agreed statement of facts, court heard Friday that Mitchell Robert Sydlowski sped off in a stolen cube van without paying for nearly $200 in gas.

Jo went outside to confront him and grabbed on to the side mirror when Sydlowski drove away. The vehicle swerved and ran over Jo.

Sydlowski, 29, was initially charged with second degree-murder, but pled guilty to the lesser offence on Friday.

A sentencing decision is scheduled for September.

Shortly after Jo's death, the Alberta government moved to bring in legislation requiring drivers to prepay before filling up at gas stations.