Summerland man’s booze-fuelled rampage left residents terrorized

A Summerland man who “terrorized” local residents, including members of his own family on four separate occasions over several weeks last summer, was sentenced to nine months of house arrest, but spared incarceration.

Ryan Joel Hiebert, 51, was sentenced to nine months of house arrest and placed on 12 months of probation Monday in Penticton.

Justice Lynett Jung commented the accused has taken major steps to address his mental health and alcohol addiction issues since these incidents took place last June and July in Summerland.

Hiebert pleaded guilty several weeks ago to numerous charges as he acted out in an alcohol-fueled rage on four separate incidents over six weeks.

The first incident took place at a Summerland brewery on June 4, 2024 when he attended and started screaming and yelling at staff after he was refused service.

He ended up breaking a door off its hinges, but was not charged by police after they talked to him and believed he had settled down. However, court heard he returned to the same brewery a few hours later and again acted out, yelling and screaming at staff.

His actions scared several staff working at the brewery, including one young woman who quit her job because she was too afraid a similar incident could happen again, said Jung.

Hiebert was charged with public mischief, then later released on bail.

Three weeks later, on June 22, Hiebert was charged with brandishing a weapon when he entered a downtown barber shop.

Court heard Hiebert threatened to stab a man inside the barber shop with a six-inch blade and was again being verbally aggressive and intoxicated.

A couple of weeks later, on July 5, court heard Hiebert was again being verbally aggressive and threatening members of his family in a rage, frightening a family of five, including three children.

The fourth and final incident took place on July 16 when he attended a property management office in Summerland after having been evicted from his apartment a week earlier.

Hiebert was again intoxicated and yelling and screaming in a rage at four employees who worked in the office.

All four employees stated they were  frightened by the incident and reported it was easy to see Hiebert was severely intoxicated as he was slurring his words and almost fell, said Jung.

When Hiebert briefly stepped outside the office, one of the employees locked the door behind him and he responded by banging on the door and then threw an ashtray at a window in the office and proceeded to damage a handrail leading to the building.

All four employees were visibly upset by this incident and Hiebert’s threats, said Jung.

Court heard Hiebert had nine previous convictions, including three involving violence and several for mischief and breaching court orders.

One of the biggest mitigating factors in Hiebert’s favour in sentencing was the fact he stayed out of trouble with the law for almost 11 years before these latest incidents took place.

Court heard Hiebert has since taken numerous steps to address his mental health and alcohol addiction issues since these incidents occurred and several people who were victimized by his violent behaviour had wished him well on his road to recovery.

Hiebert has “cycles of good health”, then things happen that lead him down a dark path where he starts abusing alcohol again and this leads to him spiraling out of control and getting into trouble with the law, said Jung.

Hiebert is a “highly educated man” who did well earlier in life, but his mental health and addiction issues have resulted in him not being able to work full-time since 2012, said Jung.

An important part of any sentence meted out against him would have to involve him committing to counselling and treatment so he can stay “regulated” and out of trouble, said Jung.

A psychiatric report clearly indicated that if Hiebert doesn’t continue to access treatment and counselling for his mental health and alcohol addiction issues, there is a very high likelihood he will once again act out and get in trouble with the law, said Jung.

The mitigating factors in this case include the fact Hiebert pleaded guilty and saved numerous witnesses having to testify against him at trial, his extended sobriety over the past 15 months and the support of his mother.

He has also taken responsibility for his actions and accepts what he did was wrong and acknowledges his actions caused numerous victims to be frightened, Jung said.

The aggravating factors is these incidents severely negatively impacted numerous innocent victims, including forcing the young lady to quit her job at the brewery, said Jung.

Threatening and yelling at members of his own family has shifted his family dynamic and brandishing a weapon in the barber shop and threatening a stranger is deeply concerning, the judge said.

After Jung announced her decision to impose a sentence of nine months of house arrest, Hiebert commented he found that sentence to be “quite severe” considering he’s done so well under house arrest over the past 15 months.

Jung commented she “carefully considered” her decision and told Hiebert he’s very fortunate he’s not being incarcerated at the Okanagan Correctional Centre, instead of being placed under house arrest.

Hiebert further commented that he doesn’t believe members of his family would agree to the no contact provision of his conditional sentence and probation.

Jung again didn’t agree and reviewed the victim impact statements by the two adults and three children involved, who made it clear the incident was deeply troubling and scared them.

While she hopes Hiebert and members of his family can resolve their issues once his sentence expires, she warned him to not have any contact with them during the nine months of house arrest and 12 months of probation.

He was also ordered to not visit the brewery, barber shop or property management office during the next 21 months.

During his nine months of house arrest, he will be able to get groceries and other necessities of life over four hours each Saturday.

Hiebert also asked if he could leave his residence to go cycling and engage in other physical activities during his period of house arrest. Jung granted him two hours per day for this purpose.

He was also ordered to engage in any treatment and counselling as requested by his probation officer, not consume any illicit drugs or alcohol, take medication as prescribed and not possess any illegal firearms or ammunition, including any knives, for a period of five years.

Almost all the same conditions were put in place to continue during the 12 months of probation following his nine months of house arrest.