Man given probation, community service after hotel room incident

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/02/2024 (429 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man who threatened to end his life by cop and set fire to his hotel room has received probation and won’t carry a criminal record.

Joshua Giesbrecht Loewen pleaded guilty to mischief and obstructing a peace officer in Steinbach Provincial Court on Feb. 16. Arson charges were not pursued as the Crown said the fire was an accident.

Everything began on Feb. 13, 2023, when Loewen got into a fight with his foster parents. The 23-year-old was then taken to the Days Inn to cool off and put distance between himself and his foster parents. While in the hotel room, Loewen called 911 to say he was going to kill himself and to send the police.

Officers arrived to his hotel room and noticed smoke coming from the door. Police tried to enter but couldn’t as the door was locked from inside. Officers went outside to the window of the first floor room and broke the window to gain access. Once inside, RCMP saw there was blood everywhere, a duvet was on a hot plate and was causing smoke to fill the room, and that the door of the room was barricaded with furniture.

Officers were afraid that this was a suicide by cop call and took out their tasers. Police were able to arrest Loewen who was aggressive and intoxicated. They noticed cuts to his hands and took him to the hospital for treatment. One officer told the Crown that the impact of the suicide by cop has on an officer is great as “none of us wants to end a life.”

The Crown asked for 18 months probation, 50 hours of community service and a criminal record be imposed.

Following his arrest, Loewen was remorseful about what happened at the Days Inn and the damage he had caused. He returned a week later to pay the hotel $5,725 in damages and lost reservations.

The defence said Loewen was bullied as a child and lost his brother to an overdose, his sister to suicide, and that his uncle had died. The defence also said Loewen suffers from FASD and ADHD. He said Loewen also has suffered with depression and anxiety at different points in his life yet he maintains a steady job as a farmhand.

Loewen’s lawyer said Loewen had no memory of interacting with police that night as he was so intoxicated. His lawyer asked the judge to impose alcohol counselling, 50 hours of community service and 18 months of probation. The lawyer also asked for no criminal record be given as Loewen travels a lot with his family. He said should Loewen again be caught drunk as he had been on Feb. 13 that the judge change his order and give him an alcohol prohibition.

“Everybody has a bad day in their life, yours was very bad,” said Judge Keith Eyrikson, adding Loewen was very lucky that he had police officers that were cognizant suicide by cop was the motive and that no harm was done to him.

Eyrikson decided to give Loewen no criminal record, 18 months probation, alcohol counselling, 100 hours of community service, and no alcohol prohibition.