By: Alex Kurial, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent
A Brooke-Alvinston man will be giving back to the community after late night mischief in Dawn-Euphemia.
Kyle Wygergangs, 22, has also received some lessons in firearm safety, at a cost.
Wygergangs and two friends were approached by Lambton OPP shortly after midnight Sept. 5 last year. An officer had become suspicious of their black GMC pickup truck sitting in the grass at Inwood and Dobbyn Roads in Shetland.
An initial search revealed a loaded 20-gauge shotgun in the front seat, which belonged to Wygergangs. After calling for backup a thorough search of the vehicle was conducted. Inside the truck bed were three stop signs. Chains used to pull them out of the ground were still tied to the posts. A bottle of banana cream liqueur was also found.
It was later discovered the stop sign spree started at the intersection of Mosside Line and Cameron Road north of Newbury before two more markers were ripped out of the Dobbyn and Burr Road crossing.
Wygergangs apologized for the vandalism during his May 19 sentencing in Sarnia Court. “I’m very sorry for the actions I took that evening.” He says he’s been taking counselling to address issues with alcohol.
Wygergangs also completed a firearms safety course. However he will have to forfeit a pair of his shotguns following his conviction.
Justice Krista Leszczynski accepted a joint recommendation of a conditional discharge, allowing Wygergangs to avoid a criminal record. He’ll be on probation for six months where he must continue counselling. Wygergangs has five months to complete 20 hours of community service. His probation officer will decide where this is served.
“I hope you recognize although it may have been intended as something relatively minor the potential for something very dangerous to occur was very real given that you stole stop signs from the road,” says Leszczynski. She says the mischief “could possibly cause a collision if a driver had not been able to find those stop signs at an intersection.”
Signs Of Mischief from one Brooke-Alvinston Man
