New offence prompts one day in jail for man who dragged victim to death in 2005

SALMON ARM, B.C. – The father of a man killed 10 years ago in a horrifying gas-and-dash in Metro Vancouver is furious about the latest sentence handed to his son’s killer.

Doug de Patie says the parole board informed him that Darnell Pratt has pleaded guilty to charges that include theft under $5,000 for stealing a car.

Pratt was just 16 when he hit de Patie’s 24-year-old son, Grant, a gas station attendant in Maple Ridge, B.C., and dragged his victim more than eight kilometres to his death.

Since then, Pratt has had repeated parole violations and other legal problems, and de Patie is shocked Pratt was sentenced to only one day in jail and a year’s probation for his latest offences.

According to de Patie, the incident is a copy cat of the crime that ended his son’s life and the frustrated father believes Pratt should have been sentenced to at least two years in custody.

Pratt was charged with second degree murder in de Patie’s 2005 death but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and his nine year sentence was reduced to seven years on appeal. (CKNW, Global)