RCMP have laid a murder charge more than seven months after a Thorsby service station owner was hit and killed by a driver who stole a tank of gasoline.
Mitchell Robert Sydlowski of Spruce Grove has been charged with second-degree murder, failure to remain at the scene of an accident causing death, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and theft under $5,000.
“An investigation into a homicide remains active until it’s solved” Sgt. Bryce Long of the RCMP major crimes unit said Monday in a news release.
“Our team has worked hard on this investigation, and seeing these charges laid brings a great sense of closure not only to the major crimes unit, but to the community at large and particularly the family of Ki Yun Jo.”
The fatal gas and dash happened at the Fas Gas in Thorsby on Oct. 6, 2017. (CBC)
Police said a stolen white cube van was seen driving away after the driver did not pay for his gas. Jo, who owned the service station, tried stop the driver and was fatally injured when struck by the van.
The gas station owner often slept in his office so he could open and close the business each day because he didn’t have enough money to hire staff, his family said in October.
The hit and run was witnessed by several people, police said.
One witness told CBC he saw a white cube van driving away with a man hanging onto the passenger side mirror. The witness said the van swerved, tossing the man to the ground, then ran over him.
The stolen van, with the words “Middleton Flooring Ltd.” painted on the side, was located days later in a rural area near Range Road 275 and Township Road 502, southwest of Devon.
Sydlowski, 27, was arrested on May 25 while incarcerated at the Edmonton Remand Centre on other charges.
A bail hearing was held the next day, police said, and the case has been set over until Tuesday at provincial court in Wetaskiwin.
He remains in custody.