A Kamloops man was high on magic mushrooms when he drove his pickup truck dangerously on Seymour Street last year and caused a major collision that damaged six vehicles, including a city transit bus.
Liam Richard Marvin Woodland, 29, pleaded guilty Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Court heard Woodland was high on psilocybin on Nov. 12, 2022, when he got behind the wheel of his pickup truck, ultimately causing a multi-vehicle crash on Seymour Street near Fourth Avenue.
“Witnesses describe him going through intersections and driving between 80 km/h and 90 km/h,” Crown prosecutor Oliver Potestio said in court.
“Mr. Woodland lost control of his vehicle, causing a multi-vehicle collision, then exited his vehicle, which was left inoperable, removing his pet cat in the process, and then fleeing on foot eastbound on Seymour Street.”
Potestio said Woodland was arrested a few blocks away after a Mountie saw him running into traffic near Seymour Street and Sixth Avenue.
“Mr. Woodland identified himself to the officer and also spontaneously admitted that he was under the influence of magic mushrooms and continued to request help,” he said.
Potestio said Woodland was not charged with impaired driving because no RCMP drug recognition expert was available to attend the scene.
“That is the start of a set of circumstances that essentially prevented the police from continuing with an impaired investigation,” he said.
Woodland has no previous criminal record.
Potestio is seeking a $2,500 fine and a one-year driving prohibition. Defence lawyer Dan McNamee asked for a discharge — meaning Woodland’s criminal record would be left unblemished.
McNamee said Woodland was diagnosed with bipolar disorder following the incident.
Kamloops provincial court Judge Roy Dickey reserved his decision. Woodland, who is not in custody, will likely be sentenced sometime in February.
