A male suspect who broke in to Ponoka’s Fountain Tire on July 11 was remanded in custody following his first court appearance in Ponoka provincial court via closed circuit television on July 18.
Kenneth Brimner and Gina Goduto, common law wife of three years and partner in the crime, are both facing multiple charges from the attempted break and enter.
At 12:20 a.m. on July 11, two Ponoka RCMP members on patrol noticed a white Ford truck at the Fountain Tire, with both driver and passenger doors open. As police approached the location with their emergency lights activated, Brimner and Goduto ran from behind the truck, got in, and Brimner attempted to flee by driving into the RCMP vehicle three times.
During the court proceeding, it was alleged that in his panic of being caught, Brimner had accidently jammed the transmission, got the accelerator stuck and couldn’t get the truck into park. Through counsel, it was mentioned that he did not deliberately hit the police vehicle and he did not realize they were RCMP until he was ordered to exit the vehicle and brandish he hands.
The building sustained some damage and the lock was broken. Several large tractor/trailer tires had been loaded onto the Ford truck, which was stolen in Calgary.
Brimner and Goduto are both from Calgary. They are said to be currently moving and needed a damage deposit of $2,100 for July 11 at 11 a.m. to give the landlord.
Both suspects are said to be addicted to crack cocaine and Brimner is currently without a job despite having worked in the oilfield industry for more than 30 years.
Goduto has no previous criminal record while Brimner exhibits a pattern of escalating criminality dating back to the early 1980s, including but not limited to assault, theft, driving impaired, driving disqualified, obstruction of a Peace Officer, flight from police and breaking and entering.
Brimner has stated his theft tendencies only escalated these last few years and that he can stay away from drugs and alcohol when not around Goduto.
Goduto was released before the July 18 court appearance because of her lack of criminal record and the fact that it was not her who drove the stolen truck into the RCMP vehicle.
The charges facing the two suspects include breaking and entering, theft over $5,000, possession of instruments for the purpose of breaking and entering, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault of a police officer with a weapon; the Ford truck (?).
Court proceedings on the case will resume on July 25 at 9:30 a.m.