Fentanyl user found passed out at wheel
Mitchell Corey Wright, 35, of Fredericton, had drug kit in his lap and exhibited signs of serious impairment when police managed to rouse him as he sat in SUV
A Fredericton man passed out in an SUV while he was shooting up fentanyl last spring, a court heard Wednesday, and though he was dazed when he came to, he was co-operative with police.
Mitchell Corey Wright, 35, of Walter Close, was scheduled to stand trial in Fredericton provincial court Wednesday on charges of having care and control of a motor vehicle and possession of fentanyl.
However, he opted instead to change his pleas to guilty.
Crown prosecutor Kathleen Jacobs said a Fredericton police officer was dispatched to the parking lot in front of Greco on Dundonald Street on April 12, 2022, after receiving a report of a man passed out in a vehicle.
The vehicle in question was a red SUV, court heard, and there was an individual slumped over in the driver’s seat, apparently unconscious.
“The officer had to knock at the window very loudly to get the man to wake up,” Jacobs said.
The suspect was later identified as Wright, she said, and when he awoke, he seemed disoriented and exhibited signs of impairment, such as bloodshot eyes.
Furthermore, the prosecutor said, the officer noted a travel kit in Wright’s lap with a needle and what appeared to be a controlled substance.
She said the officer formed the grounds to believe Wright was impaired by a drug and escorted him to the city police station to have him examined by a drug recognition expert.
That officer determined Wright was impaired by a narcotic, court heard.
Jacobs said the defendant was forthcoming with police, as he informed them the drug was fentanyl, and later testing of the substance confirmed it.
Court heard Wright had 0.26 grams of the illicit and powerful opiate.
She noted Wright has a prior criminal record, but has no previous convictions for impaired operation or control of a motor vehicle.
“I would note he was very co-operative with police,” the prosecutor said, adding that the serious signs of impairment nevertheless called for a more serious sanction.
She asked the court to impose something over the minimum fine of $1,000, suggesting something in the range of $1,250 and $1,500, plus an additional fine for the drug possession.
“Mr. Wright wanted to accept responsibility and get in front of this right away,” said defence lawyer Michael Young.
However, given the police’s reliance on a drug-recognition expert’s opinion on impairment, he advised his client they needed to explore if there was a possible defence.
Young said the root issue here is addiction, adding that Wright is trying to deal with it and get clean.
“We haven’t figured out this addiction problem yet,” the defence lawyer, referring to a societal perspective. He said the issue is a serious one, but there aren’t enough treatment options available for the many people who want to get help.
Wright has parental support, Young said, and he’s serious about kicking his habit.
“I’m sorry,” the defendant told the court.
“How long have you been sober,” asked Judge Lucie Mathurin.
“Not very long… but I’m getting there,” Wright said.
The judge imposed fines of $1,200 for the impaired offence and $200 for the fentanyl possession, plus victim-fine surcharges of $420. The total of the fines and surcharges owed is $1,840.
Furthermore, Mathurin prohibited Wright from driving anywhere in Canada for 12 months.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.