Repeat prohibited Kamloops driver gets jail time

A repeat prohibited driver will spend nearly three months behind bars after leading police on a dangerously fast chase through Kamloops and Tk’emlups.

Spencer Adams, 35, was prohibited from driving for the eighth time when a judge sentenced him to 88 days in jail, giving him a stern warning.

“Mr. Adams, I think you got a break today,” Judge Chris Balison said on Oct. 16. “I think if you drive again, you’re going to have an extremely difficult time getting bail and your sentences are going to be measured in months and years as opposed to days.”

Though he was initially released on bail, a second set of charges landed him back in custody, where he remained since August.

“Hopefully we don’t see you back, but if we do I suspect it’ll be in a red jumpsuit like you are now,” Balison said.

The first set of charges stemmed from a chase from North Kamloops to the reserve in early July. A Kamloops RCMP officer followed Adams as he drove a Dodge Caravan out of an 8 Street gas station toward Halston Drive, noticing the minivan had burnt out licence plate bulbs.

Prosecutor Evan Goulet said the minivan was driving fast and erratically, making “jerking movements” on the road. The officer tried pulling him over when they cross the Halston Bridge, but Adams fled on Salish Road.

Another officer followed at a distance, but attempted to close in as the Caravan ran stop signs and sped down residential Tk’emlups streets at speeds of 100 km/h.

“The officer was going at speeds above 140 km/h and was unable to catch up,” Goulet said.

The second officer pulled over to avoid a dangerous chase, but they were able to identify Adams through the gas station’s surveillance system two days later.

The next month, a patrolling officer spotted a parked motorcycle with a licence plate intended for a boat trailer at a 13 Street home. Suspecting it to be stolen, police set up surveillance nearby.

Adams would eventually emerge from the home and as he and a woman got on the motorcycle and rode off, he was pulled over. This time he stopped and was taken into custody.

He has dozens of previous convictions, including property crimes and driving offences, along with his seven driving prohibitions, the court heard. Five of those prohibitions were still active in the summer of 2025.

Goulet, along with defence lawyer John Gustafson, proposed a joint sentence of 190 days jail and another two-year driving prohibition. Balison agreed, but jail time was reduced to 88 days after giving him credit for time-served.