Serial Vernon dine and dasher apologizes to judge

A Vernon man who mooned a judge and threatened another appears to have had a change of heart.

Travis Delain Kroeker’s courtroom theatrics have resulted in three charges of contempt of court, but his latest appearance in a Vernon courtroom, March 30, was in stark contrast to his earlier shenanigans.

“I would like to apologize for my contempt stuff,” Kroeker told Provincial Court judge David Patterson. “There are ways to handle things, and… despite there being a way to handle things, I did not perform those methods in proper accordance.”

Kroeker was back in court, facing more charges following a “spree” of dine-and-dash incidents he committed at numerous restaurants and pubs around Vernon last year.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to ripping off Denny’s, The Winston Pub, Masiero Pizzeria and Red Swan Pizza over a two-week period in February 2025.

His behaviour was much the same in all the cases. He told staff he’d forgotten his debit card and would be back to pay. He left a business card that said he was a “creator and director,” and listed his name and phone number.

When he didn’t return, Denny’s called him.

He answered and told them he didn’t have the money to cover the $40 bill.

After an $80 lunch at Masiero Pizzeria, which included dessert and coffee, he used the ruse that he’d forgotten his debit card and would be back.

He did return later that night, but instead of paying his tab, he told staff he wasn’t going to pay and was going to continue his dine and dash spree around town.

Kroeker’s brazen attitude continued and his next move suggests he wanted to be caught.

He ordered $150 of takeout from Red Swan Pizza and had it delivered to the Vernon RCMP detachment. The delivery contained letters he’d written to the police chief about things he was “upset” about. He showed up at the same time as the delivery.

He told police what he’d been up to.

It’s unclear what happened, but he continued the dine and dash spree throughout the summer.

He ripped off the Kalamalka Hotel and Brown’s Social House, and assaulted a server at the Royal Garden Chinese Restaurant after being challenged over the bill.

He got 30 days in jail for the assault, and another 30 days in jail for skipping out at the Kal and Brown’s.

However, his courtroom antics have kept him behind bars for the last seven months.

Over several court appearances, he’s threatened a judge, dropped his pants and mooned the camera, and repeatedly said the judges were corrupt and evil. 

He told the Crown prosecutor he’d like to see her in jail for the rest of her life, and told Judge Jeremy Guild someone would break into his house and arrest him for “contentious behaviour and abuse of custody authority.”

It’s bizarre behaviour, especially for an individual who until last year didn’t have a criminal record.

Kroeker has rejected a free lawyer and represented himself throughout, never giving an inkling of why he was doing what he was doing.

But now composed and polite, Kroeker offered an explanation of sorts.

“I’ve given businesses my business all my life, and I had financially met some struggles, and I asked for the community that I had supported all my life to help support me a little bit, and everyone started treating me like I was a homeless person,” he told the court. “For the first time in my entire life of not working a reputable job, and I was hungry, and I wanted community support towards things, but nobody wanted to listen to anything I had to say.”

Kroeker said he felt that the community had let him down.

Technically, as this was Kroeker’s first conviction, Judge Patterson agreed on a 30-day jail sentence, followed by two years’ probation.

However, as Kroeker has three contempt of court charges remaining, he will stay behind bars.

A new court appearance will now be scheduled so Kroeker can apologize to the judge he mooned.