Penticton judge says man in drug-induced psychosis put hundreds at risk

A young man who led police on a wild and extremely dangerous one-hour high-speed chase from Osoyoos to Summerland last January was in the midst of a severe mental-health breakdown and drug-induced psychosis that endangered “hundreds of residents,” a judge said Monday in Penticton.

Dylan G. Wolfleg pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, assault and several related charges prior to a sentencing hearing at the Penticton Courthouse. Justice Lisa Wyatt ordered an updated psychiatric assessment to reflect the significant progress Wolfleg has made since being taken into custody several months ago.

Court heard that Wolfleg has shown “tremendous progress” after quitting fentanyl and methamphetamine and entering counselling and treatment at a facility on Vancouver Island. But the Crown detailed how, on the day of the chase, he had assaulted his adoptive parents in Osoyoos before taking his father’s vehicle and leading officers through Osoyoos, Oliver, Okanagan Falls, Penticton and Summerland at speeds reaching 160 km/h.

His parents phoned police immediately and warned officers their son was in a state of severe mental distress and battling serious substance-abuse issues.

Crown attorney Angela Linthorne told the court the events began several days earlier. On Jan. 22, 2024, Wolfleg drew attention while taking photos of vehicles at the Dairy Queen drive-through on Main Street in Penticton. When staff approached him, they saw he was carrying a machete and called police. Officers arrested him nearby after a brief struggle, but he was released on bail.

Four days later, on Jan. 26, RCMP were called again after Wolfleg was seen yelling and screaming at his parents, then ages 71 and 73, before taking off in his father’s vehicle. Officers quickly located the vehicle heading north on Highway 97 toward Oliver. He was initially travelling slightly over the limit—88 km/h in an 80 zone—before accelerating to 160 km/h after an officer activated lights and sirens.

The officer called off the chase when he realized he could not close the distance safely. Minutes later, another officer from the Oliver detachment spotted Wolfleg’s vehicle coming toward him. Maintaining distance, the officer watched Wolfleg pass a tractor-trailer at roughly 120 km/h and then race through a red light. That officer had dealt with Wolfleg days earlier and knew he was extremely paranoid; his parents had told police they feared for his mental stability.

An RCMP officer attempted to deploy a spike belt but decided it would be too dangerous for other drivers. The pursuit continued through Okanagan Falls and into Kaleden, where another officer observed Wolfleg briefly driving at normal speeds but weaving between lanes.

Police followed him to a gas station off the Penticton Channel Parkway toward Summerland. When Wolfleg exited his vehicle, officers saw he was carrying a three-foot metal pipe. Linthorne said he threatened a civilian with it before getting back into the vehicle. Two officers attempted to block him in, but he reversed into a police cruiser and fled at high speed.

Officers halted the chase again due to public risk, only to find Wolfleg a short time later outside the Dairy Queen in Summerland. Another attempt to block him in failed as he again reversed, hit a cruiser, and headed back toward Penticton. RCMP continued to track his vehicle as he sped toward Trout Creek.

A third attempt to contain him also failed when he again reversed into a police car. Eventually, officers saw Wolfleg standing outside his vehicle on a rural road. As they approached, he mimicked firing a gun with his fingers. He jumped back into the vehicle but was finally pinned in by two cruisers. After an officer threatened to use a taser, Wolfleg surrendered and was handcuffed.

Linthorne said Wolfleg later told officers he wanted to kill police and a police dog. Officers noted scrapes and abrasions on both parents and were told Wolfleg had repeatedly overdosed on hard drugs in the weeks leading up to the incident. “He was suffering from a mental-health crisis at the time,” Linthorne said. “He was in a full-fledged delusional state.”

The court also heard Wolfleg has 26 previous convictions, including for stealing a vehicle, dangerous driving and weapons offences. A pre-sentence report noted he was adopted after a difficult early childhood, had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and began experimenting with substances at a young age. Signs of mental-health issues had been present for years.

Since entering treatment, however, Wolfleg has stopped using drugs, is consistently taking medication and is fully participating in counselling and therapy. Staff have reported he appears committed to addressing his mental-health and addiction challenges. Initially diagnosed with drug-induced psychotic disorder linked to opioid addiction, he has since been diagnosed with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Two psychiatric reports indicate that Wolfleg requires a controlled environment to maintain the progress he has made. He has applied to enter second-stage treatment at a Lower Mainland facility in the coming months.

Because earlier assessments were months old, both Linthorne and defence counsel Nick Wright agreed an updated psychiatric report, including a risk assessment, would help Justice Wyatt determine an appropriate sentence. Wyatt emphasized the seriousness of Wolfleg’s actions, noting he “put hundreds of lives at risk, quite frankly,” but also acknowledged the impressive progress he has made in treatment.

Wolfleg’s parents remain supportive and want him to continue receiving therapy and counselling in a structured environment. Wyatt encouraged him to keep pursuing treatment. Wolfleg thanked the judge and said he intends to continue turning his life around.

The case returns to court Jan. 12.

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald