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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A man who led police on a chase through downtown Yellowknife before crashing into a gate at the RCMP detachment was sentenced to 12 months in jail on Thursday.

Sean Letawski, 26, was released from jail for another offence just 11 days prior to the incident on Jan. 15.

Crown prosecutor Shelley Tkatch read the facts in territorial court, stating Letawski drove the car from the Gold Range and through a stop sign. RCMP recognized the car as being reported stolen and followed the vehicle, attempting to stop it.

Tkatch said when the police vehicle turned on its emergency lights, the car they were pursuing began accelerating and continued to drive through multiple stop signs.

"The vehicle continued onto the RCMP parking lot ... (Letawski) crashed into the steel barrier that separates the RCMP and City of Yellowknife parking lots," said Tkatch.

Letawski then exited the car and ran from police officers. He was ordered to the ground, did not comply and was tackled to the ground by an RCMP officer, who placed him under arrest.

While in custody, Letawski was asked repeatedly to give a breath sample.

"Each time, (he) said 'no' or 'not a chance,'" said Tkatch.

Defence attorney Hugh Latimer said Letawski had been on a combination of crack cocaine and alcohol during the incident.

The vehicle Letawski had been driving was stolen at roughly 6:45 p.m. the previous day. A man reported his car had disappeared after he had started the vehicle and went back into his building to wait while it warmed up.

Letawski had been ordered not to drive prior to the Jan. 15 incident, and had been released from jail only 11 days prior to the high-speed chase.

"He's got a very recent record of the same behaviour," Tkatch said, adding he had recently led the police in Fort Liard on a high-speed chase. "This is incredibly dangerous behaviour."

Letawski pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of property obtained by a crime, driving while disqualified and not obeying requests for a breathalyser sample.

Letawski said he was staying at the Salvation Army shelter after his release from jail and was having trouble obtaining employment.

"I'm gonna try and fix my life," he told the court.

Chief Judge Brian Bruser credited Letawski four months for time already served in jail. He was also given a three-year driving prohibition and must pay $1,465.31 in restitution to the owner of the car.

The damage to the parking lot totalled $23,000, which can be sought from Letawski by the city through a civil suit, said Bruser.