ADDICT PLEADS FOR HELP

A man who broke into a home in Lodgepole and then led RCMP on a
high-speed chase broke down in tears last week as he asked a
provincial court judge for help to fight his drug addiction.

"I'm not afraid of going to jail," said Jason Holtz. "Jail is more of
a home to me than out here. But I need help. I want help. I've never
asked for it before but I'm asking for it now. I'm done."

Holtz, 28, was arrested March 31 after police received a report of a
break-in at a home in Lodgepole. A witness reported seeing a man kick
in the front door of the home and leave carrying several items which
he put inside a red Ford Focus and drove off. Police spotted the car
on Hwy 620 near Range Road 90 and attempted to pull it over. The
driver refused to stop and RCMP gave chase. The pursuit reached speeds
of 200 km/h and lasted for 12 km until the Focus slid off the road at
the intersection of Hwy. 620 and Hwy. 753.

Holtz, who was arrested at the scene, appeared in court the following
day and took the unusual step of immediately entering guilty pleas to
six charges without asking for an adjournment to consult a lawyer.
Charges of this nature usually take several months to get to trial.

Duty counsel Souriya Kousonsavath said Holtz was addicted to both
methamphetamine and morphine.

"He's committing offences basically to support that habit," he
said.

Holtz had 37 prior convictions on his record. He said he had spent so
much of his life in jail he'd had no time to make any friends on the
outside. He'd suffered brain damage as a child and had never learned
to read or write.

Judge Marilyn White called an adjournment while she checked to see if
Holtz would be eligible for treatment at the Alsike facility. It
turned out he was not. That meant all White could do was make the
strongest possible recommendation that Holtz receive counselling while
serving his sentence. She jailed him for three years with the
recommendation that he be given addictions, psychological,
educational, life skills and anger management counselling. The last
two subjects were added at Holtz's request.

"I hear you when you say you need help," White said. " I sincerely
hope it's followed through. Let's use that time inside so you can come
out with more skills, help and guidance than you went in with."

However, Holtz did not appear optimistic. He said that based on past
experience he would have trouble taking part in any of the programs on
offer since he was illiterate.

"I don't know why it's like that but it is," he said. "I'm not going
to get help in the Edmonton Max or Drumheller, but thanks."