SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A man who provoked a police chase by speeding through a school zone while blackout drunk in September will serve 60 days in jail and lose his licence for two years.

"It's a wonder nobody got hurt," said Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre, who called the incident "horrendous and extremely dangerous" in territorial court on Tuesday.

At 2:33 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2010, the RCMP received a call of a red Toyota RAV4 speeding down Franklin Avenue, crossing the median and in one instance hitting the curb on the opposite side of the street.

The RCMP briefly caught up with the 22-year-old driver at the Franklin Avenue and 53 Street intersection. Rather than pulling over, the man raced through a red light. The chase continued down 52 Street hitting speeds as high as 70 km/h, said Lecorre. The offender then ran a stop sign as he turned left onto 52 Avenue, almost hitting a pick-up truck. He then turned right onto 49 Street just as school was letting out at Sir John Franklin High.

This is where the chase finally ended as the man got trapped behind another vehicle stopped in front of him. The officers ran up to the vehicle and ordered the offender to get out. The man didn't comply, so one of the officers grabbed him through the driver's side window as the other officer shut off the vehicle. One of the officers had to place him in a wrist lock to handcuff him. They noticed the offender smelled strongly of alcohol, had a blank stare, glossy eyes and was unsteady on his feet.

He pleaded guilty to the charges of driving while impaired, dangerous driving and resisting arrest on Nov. 3. Lecorre submitted the man's previous criminal record containing a 2007 conditional discharge for obstruction of a peace officer and a 2008 suspended sentence for common assault. Lecorre asked for a 30-day jail sentence and a two-year driving prohibition.

Defence lawyer Abdul Khan explained his client was leaving work after having been fired for drinking on the job. He also told the court that the man "blacked out" and didn't remember the incident. Khan requested a fine between $1,800 and $2,000 and a two-year driving prohibition.

Given the man's previous record and the seriousness of the offences, especially speeding through a school zone while he was "blacked out" from alcohol, Judge Robert Gorin rejected both recommendations and sentenced the offender to twice the jail time sought by the Crown.

"(You've) got a real attitude problem you've got to get a grip on," he told the man.

The breakdown of the sentence is 30 days for impaired driving and 30 days consecutive for resisting arrest.

He also received a one-year probation forcing him to participate in alcohol or drug counselling and treatment as recommended by his probation officer.

Gorin did grant the defence's request for the offender to serve the jail term on weekends because he is "in line" for a new job in January. His first weekend in jail will begin tonight at 9 p.m.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.