A shop owner and his employee in the midst of stopping what they believed was a downtown theft were both attacked by a pipe-wielding woman who was trying to protect her boyfriend from a citizen’s arrest.
Tracey Portelance, 40, pleaded guilty yesterday (Oct. 23) to two counts of assault with a weapon stemming from an incident in the afternoon of Oct. 13.
Crown prosecutor Adrienne Murphy said the owner of Anything Paint & Autobody called a shop employee to help when he saw a man in a parking lot outside going through cars.
The man, Portelance’s co-accused, Robert Pattison, had his hoodie up and was allegedly rifling through cars.
Murphy said the shop owner grabbed the suspected thief by the backpack as he attempted to scale a fence and held him for a citizen’s arrest until RCMP could arrive.
That’s when Portelance appeared and smashed the shop owner with a metal pipe she pulled from her purse.
In the ensuing melee, Portelance also struck the autobody employee with the pipe.
“Ms. Portelance did have a piece of pipe or baton [with her],” Murphy said.
“That’s an unusual item. It did appear she was using it for a purpose.”
Portelance, who is from Kamloops, also pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property for an incident the month before when she was caught by RCMP driving a stolen car.
Articling student Eric Rines, who was defending Portelance, said her client has a limited criminal record, which occurred only recently.
Portelance has struggled with mental health problems, alcohol and crystal meth addiction.
“Ms. Portelance is in a relationship with Mr. Pattison,” Rines said.
“She saw what she believed was Mr. Pattison being attacked.”
Portelance has remained in custody since the arrest.
Rines called the arrest and jailing “a wake-up call” for the woman who has worked in past as a secretary, in data entry and customer service.
Provincial court Judge Chris Cleaveley sentenced Portelance to time already served in jail.
She was also placed on probation for one year and has a curfew restricting her to her home during evenings.
Portelance is also under a no-contact order with Pattison.
“You’re close to getting more time in jail here,” Cleavely said.
Pattison faces a charge of break and enter.
Allegations against him have not been proven or heard in court.
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