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Man 39 fled in stolen car

May 16, 2008 Calgary Herald

A Calgary man has landed in jail after fleeing from the border in a stolen car while trying to return to Canada from the United States.

Provincial court Judge Barbara Veldhuis handed a 30 day sentence Thursday to Terry Norman Wingert, 39, who pleaded guilty to hindering a customs officer.

"This is the highest sentence ever handed down in Alberta for this offence," said Lisa White, spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency.

"If you don't stop, it is a criminal offence. He left the port of enty without authorization."

Crown prosecutor Roch Dupont said Wingert tried to cross the Carway border, south of Cardston on Dec. 8.

He drove away while being processed, but was arrested a short distance from the border. White said Border Services works closely with other federal agencies, such as the RCMP, and were able to nab the fleeing man.

Dupont said the vehicle Wingert was driving was registered to a Lethbridge address and had been reported stolen.

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