No more firearms for Penticton man found with loaded semi-automatic in his passenger seat

Loaded gun left in vehicle

Photo: File photo

One man was found guilty of assault in Penticton court on Wednesday

A Penticton man has been sentenced to probation and a firearms prohibition after being found in the driver's seat of a car next to a loaded semi-automatic.

In Penticton Provincial Court on Friday, Timothy Clay Jochem, in his late 30s, appeared for sentencing related to a 2023 incident.

Court heard that on an afternoon in July of that year, emergency services were called because Jochem was found behind the wheel of a parked car in Penticton, in a state of possible drug-related distress.

When emergency services arrived, they saw a weapon, and police became involved.

Police saw that a semi-automatic shotgun was located on the passenger side, resting upright with the muzzle upwards, leaning against the passenger seat.

It was loaded, with a shell in the chamber.

Court heard that Jochem was legally in possession of a firearms license, but the legal breach was how it was stored.

Passers-by called the emergency services because they feared Jochem was experiencing an overdose at the time.

Court heard that when police arrived, he woke up and exited the vehicle, leaving the door open and the weapon accessible.

Jochem has a history of substance abuse issues, but is now, reportedly, clean. His lawyer argued against a firearms prohibition as part of his sentence, since hunting and sport shooting are a part of Jochem's lifestyle.

But the judge said that a firearms license is a privilege, not a right, and careless storage of a loaded gun — especially when it was mixed with drug use — needs to be met with a restriction.

Jochem will see no jail time, but he will have a period of 12 months' probation, including a firearms restriction. If he breaches conditions, he may see time behind bars.