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Chainsaw-wielding Penticton man gets time in jail

Robert Austin Teal had pleaded guilty to multiple charges including possession of a weapon
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Summerland RCMP converge on the Trout Creek Go Market on Oct. 21, 2021 after a man with a chainsaw barricaded himself inside. (Monique Tamminga Western News)

The man who used a running chainsaw to damage a Trout Creek liquor store and gas station convenience store will spend 308 more days behind bars.

Robert Austin Teal was sentenced on Friday, July 29 after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including mischief under $5,000, theft under $5,000 and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

For time spent already in custody, Teal received 422 days credit off his global sentence of two years in prison followed by two years of probation. Teal also consented to taking medication that treats alcoholism and to take counselling.

Crown had asked for three years jail and Teal’s defence asked for 14 months.

On Oct. 22, 2021 Summerland RCMP were dispatched to reports that a man had brought a chainsaw into the Trout Creek liquor store on Highway 97, and then a few minutes later a second call came in to report that he was in the Centex gas station store next door damaging items there.

Teal had entered the liquor store while an employee was serving a customer and told both of them to get out. He then took a pack of Budweiser, a bottle of wine and a bottle of liquor before going next door and barricading himself inside.

RCMP arrived and attempted to make contact but officers’ efforts were met with silence. The Southeast District Emergency Response Team was called in to respond.

READ MORE: Chainsaw wielding Penticton man has sentencing delayed a 2nd time

Over the next hour on Oct. 21, Teal was seen continuing to cut items with the chainsaw, eating ice cream, drinking liquor and spreading lighter fluid around the store.

Further attempts to make contact with Teal were unsuccessful, until he wrote a note that demanded he be able to call his ex-girlfriend and then he would come out.

Finally, after an hour, Teal opened the door and said he would come out if he could have a smoke. He grabbed a cigarette, came out, and then lay on the ground while he was arrested.

Since his arrest, Teal has remained in custody. According to defence, since being in custody he has shown remorse, reconnected to his faith and made progress to dealing with his substance abuse issues.

He apologized during his sentencing.

“Last summer was the darkest and loneliest time of my life,” said Teal in reference to the break up with his girlfriend. In connection to that break up he was convicted for damaging her apartment and assaulting his girlfriend.

“I’m really sorry,” he said in reference to the Summerland incident. “There are a lot of things I wish I could take back.”

Teal has had a long history with the criminal justice system, including an assault causing bodily harm conviction in 1998 in Yellowknife, another in 2006 in Victoria and multiple break-ins.

Oct. 21 was not the first instance that Teal had barricaded himself and required the emergency response team to respond. Another incident occurred in April 2021 after he was released pending charges for an alleged assault against his then-girlfriend at her residence, where he barricaded himself in his home and called to report that he wanted to commit suicide by police.

According to defence, and the pre-sentencing report, he reported he has attempted suicide in 2021.

Sentencing for Teal’s case had previously been delayed to give him time to make arrangements to get into Discovery House’s addiction recovery program, however at Friday’s sentencing it was stated that he was still waiting on a spot to open up.

Another sentencing delay occurred after the judge was unable to make their way to Penticton due to a fatal accident in Peachland on July 12.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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