Woman jailed six months for repeatedly driving while prohibited

Photo: Castanet Staff

A Kamloops woman with a history of driving while prohibited has been ordered to spend six months in prison after police caught her behind the wheel four times in a nine-month span.

Mary Louise Angela Lindbergh, 46, pleaded guilty on Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to four counts of driving while prohibited. After Thursday's guilty pleas, she now has 11 convictions for the offence.

Court heard she was busted by Mounties on Dec. 2, 2020, Feb. 8, 2021, Aug. 7, 2021, and Sept. 9, 2021. Three of the traffic stops were in the Kamloops area and one was in Barriere.

In one case, court heard, a Mountie had to brake to avoid colliding with Lindbergh’s vehicle when she cut a corner at 10th Avenue and Lorne Street downtown.

“The real concern is Ms. Lindbergh’s driving. She has seven prior convictions for driving while prohibited, all since May of 2018,” Crown prosecutor Evan Goulet said in court.

“Collectively, this requires a significant jail sentence.”

Defence lawyer Eric Rines said Lindbergh’s drinking got her in trouble. He said she lost her license following an impaired conviction and her continued driving has only made matters worse.

Court heard Lindbergh has taken steps to get her license back. Rines said she was in the process of having an interlock device installed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, resulting in delays. She then decided to start driving again.

Kamloops provincial court Judge Roy Dickey sentenced Lindbergh to six months in prison. Once given credit for time served, she will have approximately 100 days remaining on her sentence.

Lindbergh was also fined $2,000 and prohibited from driving for a further three years.