A prolific offender who had just been convicted of stealing a vehicle was again arrested in Abbotsford on Saturday (March 25) while allegedly driving impaired in another stolen car.
Sgt. Paul Walker, media relations officer with the Abbotsford Police Department, said the incident began at about 6:15 p.m., when patrol officers located a stolen Toyota 4Runner being driven in the 2800 block of Victoria Street.
Walker said officers in an unmarked car followed the vehicle until it stopped in the 31900 block of South Fraser Way.
He said the driver tried to run away, but was arrested after a brief chase. The female passenger was also arrested but was later released.
The driver was identified as Albert Fontaine, 47. He was charged with possession of stolen property, impaired driving, refusing to provide a breath sample, breaching a release order, and driving while prohibited.
Fontaine had just been sentenced the day before to a 12-month driving ban for driving while suspended in May 2021, as well as a four-month conditional sentence (served in the community) and one year of probation on charges of breaching a release order and possessing stolen property.
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Fontaine has an extensive criminal record, including in relation to a high-profile kidnapping case in Penticton in 2015.
In that incident, a 37-year-old man was abducted and seriously assaulted. He was found in a ditch with a broken leg and restraints on his hands.
Fontaine was one of four people charged, and he was sentenced in late 2016 to three years in jail, minus credit for pre-trial custody.
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He was also charged in March 2018 after he was pulled over in Surrey by Metro Vancouver Transit Police. At the time, he was wanted for breaching his probation, related to the kidnapping case.
Police found an array of weapons in the vehicle, including a set of brass knuckles, a “Zombie Killer”-branded machete, handcuffs, a baseball bat, several knives and a “Beretta” airsoft replica pistol.
They also found a curly brown wig and ski masks.
According to the provincial court database, Fontaine also has numerous other convictions for offences such as breaching his bail and probation conditions, possession of stolen property, driving while disqualified, impaired driving, break-and-enter, drug possession and possession of a non-authorized firearm.
vikki.hopes@abbynews.com
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