Man who hit North Bay police officer with a vehicle won’t fight deportation

A 21-year-old Brampton man pleaded guilty Friday afternoon in a North Bay courtroom for running into a city police officer as he tried to flee a traffic stop.

Sahibjot Singh was originally charged with attempted murder, but that was withdrawn months ago.

Singh pleaded guilty to six charges, including assaulting police, impaired driving, violating a release order and flight from police.

The Crown is seeking a five-year sentence, minus pre-trial custody. The defence is arguing Singh should receive an enhanced credit for the 15 months he has already served – 1 ½ days for each day in jail – and be sentenced to time served.

Had been released May 4

In an agreed statement of facts between the Crown and defence, the court heard Singh had been released May 4 after being charged with 31 Criminal Code offences. Conditions included not being in the front seat of a vehicle.

But on May 31, 2024, he was driving a stolen 2020 Toyota RAV4 on Wyld Street in North Bay.

An automated licence plate reader alerted police that the vehicle was stolen and tried to stop the vehicle.

Singh then drove off, but Acting Sgt. Justin Brear located him in a parking lot on Memorial Drive.

Singh backed into Brear, striking him and pinning him between the SUV and another vehicle. Brear managed to get free when Singh drove toward him, forcing the officer to roll about 10 feet to avoid being run over.

He drove away before ramming into Brear’s cruiser and another vehicle, causing $9,000 in damage.

Forced other vehicles into the ditch

Singh then fled, speeding at 100 km/h through a red light at high speed. Several other vehicles were forced into a ditch to avoid hitting him.

He was eventually arrested but gave a false name. His identity was confirmed from his fingerprints.

He was found to be in possession of a little more than a gram of heroin. Blood analysis revealed he had meth, amphetamine and morphine in his system at the time of the incident.

Singh admitted to having to use drugs – heroin and meth – every 30 or 40 minutes at the time of his arrest. He said drug addiction has ruined his life.

In his victim impact statement, Brear said while his physical injuries have healed, he still suffers from PTSD as a result of the incident.

Singh is in Canada on a student visa from India and was studying at Canadore College at the time. He’s currently the subject of an immigration warrant and doesn’t plan to challenge a deportation order.

Singh’s family in the Peel Region and India -- and the Sikh temple he attended -- wrote letters to Ontario Court Justice Erin Lainevool asking that she give him a second chance.

The family said they sold most of their assets and spent their life savings to give him the chance to study in Canada, but he fell in with the wrong crowd and got addicted to drugs.

Lainevool will hand down her sentence Oct. 24.