Court documents of the most recent driving while prohibited case involving Ryan Brandon Reece paint a picture of a troubled man with an entrenched addiction to alcohol.
This most recent incident has been of particular interest locally because Reece had previously been sentenced after a separate, unrelated drinking and driving accident resulted in the death of Squamish mother Tanya Lee Boudewyn in 2012.
This November marks the fifth anniversary of Boudewyn’s death.
With respect to the incident that happened in April of this year, the Provincial Court of B.C.’s oral reasons for judgment state that Reece was found to be drinking and driving.
“What if you had killed another person?” said Justice Joanne Challenger, according to court documents. “You do not even remember driving… I think the phrase, ‘throwing away the key’ is what might well be applied if you ever are found drinking and driving again.”
Ultimately, in this case, Reece pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle while disqualified and to one charge of breaking and entering.
The documents reveal that Reece, who was living in the Agassiz area at the time, kicked open the door of his neighbour’s house. The neighbour was reportedly not home at the time. He then “drank to the point of blackout” and took a vehicle from the home.
He is then said to have wound up in Squamish at the home of a friend. Afterwards, he was dropped off at McDonald’s.
However, the court filings say he made his way back to Agassiz, drank again, went back into his neighbour’s house and took a second set of keys and a vehicle. He drove back to Squamish to his friend’s house, but this time his friend’s father called 911. Reece was later found intoxicated with a stolen truck.
Reece had been out of custody on day parole for more than a year at the time he committed the offences.
The documents say Reece had a troubled childhood and has struggled with alcohol issues since the age of 13.
He is said to have been drinking on a daily basis since that age.
“Clearly, he suffers from the disease of alcoholism and has suffered from that disease his entire life,” said Challenger. “He remains in the grip of an entrenched addiction. He knows that. I do not have to tell him that. It is ruining his life. He does not want to drink — he wants to do better, but he simply falls down in his efforts once he is in the community.”
Challenger said that Reece needs long-term psychological assistance.
Reece was given a sentence of two years, less a day. He received credit for 218 days.
Following the sentence, there will be a probation term of three years. Under those terms, Reece will not be allowed to possess or consume alcohol.
He is forbidden from entering any establishments where the primary commodity is liquor.
Reece must also attend any recovery programs assigned to him by his probation officer.
He is also barred from occupying the driver’s seat of any vehicle and cannot enter unless the registered owner is present.
“I hope you get the help you need and that, during your time in custody, you do whatever you can to continue with your rehabilitation and not lose hope,” Challenger said.
