Winnipeg Free Press

I stumbled across the obituary one morning last week and found myself instantly feeling a combination of sadness and curiousity.

TRAVIS MATTHEW CATELLIER - In the early hours of the morning on Sunday, July 13, Travis went out to the graves of his brother Jesse and his dad Bert, in his pain and burdened heart, sat quietly and opened two beer cans, placing one for Jesse and one he must have drank himself. What thoughts and tears he had we can only guess. The last few years have been tough and in those early hours, the shadows of the night always play the strains of confusion and pain so much worse than when the sun comes up to chase the shadows away. Travis went to the farm and drove up to the hill where he and his brothers and cousins have laughed and played, had bonfires, skidooed and rode dirt bikes, a place echoing with good memories, a place where I think he could feel his connection to those he loved. He quietly sat in the soft tall grass, texted his love to his Kerry, to his friends and family, and then took his own life. We wish with all our hearts that he would have waited for the sun to shine brightly and chase enough of the shadows away to remember that he had a journey to take. But this was not to be.

Wow.

I needed to know more, especially regarding the mention of Travis’ brother, Jesse. So I went back into the Free Press obituary archives and found the following:

JESSE ALBERT CATELLIER - Jesse Albert Catellier died tragically on Friday, February 4, 2005, at the age of 25. Jesse was born on August 19, 1979, in Lacombe, AB. He was raised and went to school in Alix and Lacombe. He was a very energetic and busy young boy and man always, was full of pranks and mischief and loved to laugh. He was very loyal and big-hearted to his friends and family, had a very rare talent for working with his hands. At the age of seven he built a complete set of stairs, all by himself, for his treehouse, and of recent days designed and built his own trusses for a shop addition he was working on. He was very proud of his baby daughter, Madeline, and of recent months was trying especially hard to change his lifestyle in order to create a better future for her, but he ran out of Mondays to start over. That was taken from him. Jesse has struggled with addiction for several years, and has sorrowfully lamented of late many times that it isn’t about fun anymore..the meth and coke just steal your soul and obviously friends in this world can turn to enemies.

Wow again.

I began searching through newspaper archives and quickly found the story regarding Jesse’s slaying.

I noticed his mother, Ingrid Braak, had spoken out following the killer’s second-degree murder sentencing. I wondered whether she might want to talk now, following another son’s tragic death.

Did she ever.

What followed was an emotional, intense 30-minute telephone conversation with a very brave mother who made it crystal clear that she believes some good can come out of something so terrible.

And a full-page story that will certainly go down in my own personal archive of important pieces I’ve been able to pen.

Braak spoke candidly about the many issues which troubled her boys and her own struggles, as a mother/parent, to handle the situations as well as possible.

She talked about the culture that seems to exist among young people, especially males, regarding drinking and drugging. She spoke about a lack of long-term vision that so many seem to have. And she spoke of the drug epidemic in big cities and small towns across the country.

There was more, so much more. And that’s why I was thrilled when Braak agreed to join me this past Sunday for an hour-long interview on my national “Crime and Punishment” radio show.

We were also joined halfway through by Winnipegger Ian Rabb, a former meth addict who is seven years sober and now using his experience to try and help others.

It was raw, powerful radio - in my opinion the best segment I’ve ever done - and I strongly encourage you to sit down and have a listen if you missed it.

To do so, just click HERE and enter the following information. Date - Sun July 20. Time - 8 p.m. The interview begins around 8:07 p.m. - right after the news and weather break - and continues until close to 9.

Three different girls. Three separate crimes. Three very similar cold and calloused responses.

What happened to sugar and spice and everything nice?

Last week, my colleague James Turner and I had the unfortunate task of bringing you several more stories of teen depravity from inside the walls of the Manitoba Youth Centre.

After hearing the chilling facts of these cases, I can’t help but wonder if they indicative of a much larger problem in society today.

Have a read. And then discuss.

*****

CASE 1 - “He had to die sometime anyways.”

We’ve already talked a lot about Winnipeg’s “laughing car thief”, so I’ll try and keep my comments to a minimum. But as many of you know, this 16-year-old girl made national headlines earlier this year when it was revealed that she mocked the death of a Winnipeg cab driver.

The teen was one of seven occupants of a speeding, stolen SUV that smashed into and killed the innocent victim. In her interview with police, the girl smirked, twirled her hair and made comments like “It’s no big deal” and “He had to die sometime anyway” to shocked investigators.

Since then, we’ve watched the catch-and-release system in full affect as the teen got bail, was re-arrested, got sentenced, released, re-arrested, sentenced, released, re-arrested and sentenced once again last week.

And released.

CASE #2 - “They can go to Hell.”

Credit James Turner with the following tale of woe.

A 12-year-old girl who pleaded guilty to setting a $200,000 fire that razed an East Kildonan home callously told investigators the home’s owners could “go to hell” when asked if she had any empathy for them.

She also told correctional officers she would “do it again” if released.

“These are chilling comments from a 12-year-old,” said Crown attorney Brent Davidson at the girl’s sentencing hearing.

He said when questioned by police after her arrest on May 14, the girl showed no remorse or empathy and was sullen throughout the interview.

In court, a social worker described the girl as “a risk to both herself and society.”

She will remain locked up for at least another 12 days.

Provincial court Judge Michel Chartier said he will consider a sentence that rehabilitates her and protects public safety.

She’s considered such a high-risk to re-offend that after being granted bail a number of weeks ago, she remained locked up at the Manitoba Youth Centre because Child and Family Services had nowhere secure enough to place her.

The home she pleaded guilty to torching was being built for a Russian family that had moved to Canada to escape the high cost of housing in that country.

A social worker also raised serious concerns about the girl’s history of physically assaulting other kids and staff at school or CFS shelters. The worker also said there’s “no doubt” she’ll commit further crimes and set other fires.

CASE #3 - “$%!@ the cops”

While sitting at MYC awaiting another sentencing, I stumbled across the sad case of a 13-year-old girl who was seeking bail on a number of charges related to a string of ongoing car thefts and breaches of court orders.

The most amazing piece of evidence came from Crown attorney Liz Pats, who told court how police conducted a curfew check on the girl following her most recent release on bail.

Not surprisingly, police found the troubled teen had gone AWOL.

However, likely nothing prepared them for what the girl’s grandfather - her court-appointed custodian - had to say.

When asked why the girl had left, grandpa explained that he’d tried to warn the girl that breaching her curfew was only going to land her in more trouble with the law.

“F–k the cops,” the girl said before heading out into the night.

She was arrested days later and brought back into custody, where she now remains after being denied bail last week.

*****

So here we have three girls - aged 12, 13 and 16 - snubbing their nose at the law, authority, even their own elders as they continue on their self-destructive paths in life.

What to make of it?

Is this a sign - as several callers to my “Crime and Punishment” radio show suggested Sunday - of the utter lack of respect being displayed these days by many young people?

Is it proof, as others suggested, that our youth justice system is so weak that teen criminals simply treat it like the joke that it is?

Is it a spinoff of pop culture, with salty-tongued bad girls being portrayed in some media as the best way to get respect?

Or is it, as some justice officials have suggested, a new trend in society where young girls are trying more to be like the “bad boys” they love hanging around with? Pats, the prosecutor, says there is a rapid emergence in this city of a “girlfriend and groupie” culture, especially in the auto theft world.

I’m not exactly sure where the blame should rest. But it’s clear something has gone very very wrong.

I spent part of this past weekend up in Gypsumville - about 270 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg - where RCMP officers were conducting an intensive, desperate search for Jennifer Catcheway.

The 18-year-old Portage la Prairie girl hasn’t been seen since June 19.

Two men - identified as family members of Catcheway - were arrested, questioned and released without charge last week.

About the same time, police say they received some information that led them to the dense forest just south of Gypsumville as a “place of interest.”

As you can see in the video I shot and edited below, officers had to deal with hot temperatures, tall, thick grass and shrubs and swarms of angry black flies.

(Click HERE to see the minute-long video)

Ultimately, the search ended without any sign of Catcheway.

And so the mystery continues.

Anyone with information about Catcheway’s whereabouts is asked to contact Portage la Prairie RCMP at 204-857-4445 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (where you can remain anonymous if you wish)

Here are some pictures of the search that I took:

As bombshells continue to be dropped at the ongoing Crystal Taman inquiry - and new revelations emerge about the handling of killer driver/Winnipeg cop Derek Harvey-Zenk - I can’t help but think back to last fall when the controversy was just beginning.

Marty Minuk, the local defence lawyer retained by the province to prosecute Harvey-Zenk, was up in arms over a series of Free Press stories exposing several serious questions and issues surrounding the case.

So, too, was Harvey-Zenk’s lawyer Richard Wolson, who seemingly thought we were making a mountain out of a mole hill and that Provincial court Judge Ray Wyant ought to just rubber-stamp the plea bargain that he’d been presented with.

To recap, here’s what I wrote in my blog entry, dated September 13:

I learned a long time ago not to simply look at complex legal issues in black and white. Quite often, I’ve found, there are many complicated shades of grey.

But yellow? Well, I hadn’t thought much of the colour - at least not until a Winnipeg lawyer accused me Wednesday of “yellow journalism”.

That’s an inside term that refers to sensational, perhaps unethical and certainly irresponsible work on behalf of a reporter.

And it’s not an allegation I take lightly. Or appreciate, for that matter - especially when it’s made on the public record in a courtroom filled with more than 100 people.

Yet Marty Minuk - a private lawyer I have all the respect in the world for who was hired by the Manitoba justice department to prosecute a Winnipeg police officer - decided to colour my reputation with a baseless cheap shot.

A little background…

Minuk, along with defence lawyer Richard Wolson, were figuratively called to the principal’s office Wednesday morning to justify the highly controversial plea bargain they have pitched for Derek Harvey-Zenk.

The former Winnipeg cop, you’ll recall, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death for the February 2005 crash that killed Crystal Taman, a 40-year-old mother of three.

Despite the fact Harvey-Zenk admitted he was out drinking and partying in the hours preceding the crash - and then refused a police demand for a breathalyser - all alcohol charges were dropped by Minuk.

Without even the slightest explanation to the victim’s family, the court or the public.

So when it became apparent that Chief provincial court Judge Ray Wyant was having great difficultly with the suggested conditional sentence, Minuk and Wolson were summoned back to court for further submissions

But in the few weeks which passed since the initial sentencing hearing, people have started asking questions. Especially the victim’s family, who are certainly entitled to better treatment then they’ve received.

So myself, along with some other reporters, started digging around. Some people started talking. And some answers started coming.

Among the developments which I have reported on:

-Some East St. Paul police officers have accused their former chief, Harry Bakema, of ordering them in advance not to refer in their notes about Harvey-Zenk’s alcohol consumption following the deadly crash. Bakema, through his lawyer, has denied the claims.

-Retired RCMP officer Robert Tramley, who spearheaded a review of the East. St. Paul detachment following Bakema’s firing in 2006, told me the plea bargain with Harvey-Zenk is a “travesty” and said the case should have gone to trial.

-A paramedic at the scene of the deadly crash noted “a strong smell of alcohol” coming from Harvey-Zenk. That fact was included in Tramley’s review.

-Bakema is a former Winnipeg police officer who worked in the same North End district as Harvey-Zenk before he left to go to East St. Paul. Bakema has denied working directly with Harvey-Zenk but said he recognized him at the scene of the crash. Bakema apparently felt there were no grounds for a breath demand - even though another officer (Norm Carter, now the Chief) felt there was when he saw Harvey-Zenk NEARLY AN HOUR LATER.

-Manitoba Justice Minister Dave Chomiak has called for a full public review of the East St. Paul detachment regarding their handling of this, and other, cases.

-Questions have been raised about Manitoba Justice’s decision to appoint Minuk as Crown counsel, given the fact he has previously defended police officers and had recently completed work on a manslaughter case working alongside Harvey-Zenk’s lawyer, Richard Wolson. Justice officials have defended the decision to farm the case out of their own department to Minuk, saying they must avoid a perception of bias given that Crowns regularly work closely with police.

It is perhaps that final one which had Minuk the most upset. He has somehow confused reporting on his background and the policies of Manitoba Justice as calling his ethics into question. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As you can read in my original story, I clearly stated there are no suggestions Minuk has done anything wrong and he is a well-respected lawyer. Yet the story talked about “optics” - the very reason Manitoba Justice said their own very competent staff Crowns were apparently unable to prosecute Harvey-Zenk.

“It wouldn’t look right” is the general answer given, because the Crown often work closely with police. Never mind the fact you could easily find numerous prosecutors who’d never even met Harvey-Zenk, it was all about the appearance.

And that’s fine. But it’s perfectly fair then to ask how the appearance of Minuk’s role in the case is somehow better, given his role as a defence lawyer, close (and very recent) working relationship with Wolson and the fact he’s previously represented cops.

All fair questions.

Yet Minuk is now up in arms. Even Wolson called the reporting “scandalous” in court on Wednesday.

Scandalous??? Funny, that’s a word many are using to describe the debacle the Harvey-Zenk case has become.

And the case only sunk into further chaos after Wednesday.

Wyant - admitting he is struggling with his decision - was practically begging both lawyers to give him more information about circumstances surrounding the crash.

He even offered to pause the hearing so that Minuk could call evidence about the eight or so hours that passed between the end of Harvey-Zenk’s shift and the deadly crash.

Wyant was especially interested in hearing more about Harvey-Zenk’s drinking that night.

Seemed like a perfectly logical request - especially after you hear the Taman family say they were told at one point the Crown had 33 witnesses lined up to testify. Some of those surely had to be the other cops who were with Harvey-Zenk. And what about the paramedic at the scene?

Yet Minuk rejected Wyant’s offer. He didn’t even consult with the Taman family. Or explain to the court why he wouldn’t provide any more information. He just said ‘No’.

And so a clearly frustrated Wyant retreated into his chambers, saying he needs more time to mull over a case in which he candidly admits to being somewhat in the dark about, at least in terms of potentially important issues.

And the Taman family was left, once again, wondering what the hell just happened. And what exactly is being hidden from them.

There’s no doubt Minuk, Wolson and Harvey-Zenk wish this case would have just quietly fell beneath the radar and been quickly disposed of.

Thank goodness it didn’t.

I wish I knew all the answers. I’ve managed to dig up some of them, and I will continue trying to find out the rest.

If that’s what constitutes shoddy journalism, then colour me Yellow.

Fast forward to today.

We’re now finally starting to get some of those answers. New details are being exposed about the fatal crash investigation and Harvey-Zenk’s perceived impairment which, for reasons I still don’t understand, were never put before a judge and/or jury.

If anything, our coverage last fall was barely scratching the surface of this scandal. It now appears this entire debacle is even worse than anyone originally thought.

And yet Marty Minuk wanted everyone to believe that is all just the product of shoddy “yellow” journalism.

I suspect the only colour the public is seeing these days is red - as in anger.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Are Winnipeg residents are getting a little paranoid about the amount of recent gunplay they’ve seen, heard and read about on city streets?

During the past couple of nights (Monday June 30, Tuesday July 1), 911 operators have been flooded with calls from concerned citizens who believe their neighbourhoods might be hosting the latest gang-related shoot-out.

I’ll let the words of one very tired sounding dispatcher - overheard on the police scanner at about 2 a.m. Tuesday - explain what’s really been going on.

“Happy Canada Day,” he said, with all the enthusiasm of a man going in for a root canal.

Our country’s birthday has always been a popular time for people to show their national pride by sending colourful balls of fire screaming into the sky.

And yet I can’t remember ever hearing about so many fireworks celebrations being mistaken for gunfire.

I believe this year’s large volume of calls - which tie up considerable police resources as every one must be investigated - is a direct reflection of the growing fear many Winnipeggers have with regards to guns.

Drive-by shootings are seemingly happening every few days. A home was riddled with bullets in broad daylight just last week. A teen got shot in the leg while playing a game of “Russian Roulette” with friends a few days ago.

A man was gunned down on a crowded Pembina Highway hotel patio earlier this spring. Three men were shot dead inside an Alexander Avenue home a few months back.

The stories go on, and on, and on. And I think the public has now been conditioned to believe that it can happen anytime, anywhere.

I’m sure most of the people who have called 911 the past few nights believed they were probably just hearing fireworks. But they probably were thinking “better safe than sorry” when they picked up the phone.

And who can blame them?

However…

There might be some blame to go around for those responsible for setting off fireworks…and false alarms.

A quick read of the City of Winnipeg website shows that anyone wishing to “blast off” must first apply for, and obtain, a permit.

Just a guess here, but the majority of these late-night pop-pop-pops are likely coming from folks who haven’t bothered to ask Uncle Sam (Katz) for permission.

I’m not sure how many by-law offences are being handed out - but it’s clear the issue is a significant one in terms of tying up valuable police resources.

So here’s my questions for you.

Should some of these citizens just relax a bit and enjoy the sights and sounds? Have you been jolted from sleep by fireworks? Have you dropped a dime on your festive neighbour?

Post your comments below.

A tip of the hat to my colleagues, Lindsey Wiebe and Jason Bell, for sending this little gem my way.

Earlier this week, Lindsey was preparing to write a story that involved the tiny town of Zhoda, Manitoba. Not knowing too much about the community, she went online to see what she could find.

The following is courtesty of Wikipedia.

Unlike most small towns or hamlets, uniquely; Zhoda reeve establishment is not based on community votes or campaigns. Every second year a wrestling match is promoted in the area and candidate hopefuls line up for their time in the ring. If one is to old, impaired, or weak, they can choose another to represent themselves. Wrestling matches take place during June-July and are held at the Zhoda Hall. Currently, Stephen El Stevo is the reigning 5 year champion who’s style include a Mexican-style wrestling blended with American boxing.

This year’s competition is set to have four main contestants, namely, the current title holder, Stephen El Stevo, “Old Man” Arhaas, Johnny “Sober” Sobering, Agatha “Aggie” Wall, and Professor Peter Potato Dungalinger Wigglebums.

Zhoda’s main export, while not being financially lucrative, is stray dogs. Currently, shipments are being made to Grunthal and Winnipeg, but it has been noted that La Broquerie has it’s eyes set on importing the vast majority into their possession.

It appears someone has been having some fun at Zhoda’s expense!

And while we can probably all get a chuckle out of the entry, it’s a good reminder that the Internet is still a vast, largely unpoliced universe where an “anything goes” mentality sometimes exists.

So be careful out there. And have a great long weekend. I’ll be in Zhoda, sitting ringside with the strays and watching to see if the great Stephen El Stevo can fend off his beefy challengers.

www.mikeoncrime.com

In the past few weeks, my colleague, James Turner, and I have written plenty about the 16-year-old Winnipeg girl who laughed off the death of a city cabbie following a horrific stolen car crash in March.

Reaction to our stories has been widespread, with the publicly clearly outraged by this teen’s behaviour and her inability to follow court orders.

It reached a fever pitch this past weekend when we revealed that the girl has gone online and posted pictures of the tragedy - complete with her own headline of “F—ing Deaaaaadly!” along with images of her proudly showing off her court-ordered ankle bracelet. (Read story HERE)

The same bracelet she’s accused of trying to saw off last week, which has now landed her back in custody.

James and I have spent time with the girl’s parents, who are frustrated as anyone. This is not a case of neglectful, uncaring parents - Mom has already turned her daughter in twice to police for breaches. How many parents out there would honestly do the same thing with their child?

Police and justice officials are also fed up, with many wondering what it will take to get the message through to this girl.

However, not everyone thinks the situation is as hopeless as it appears.

As you can see in the email below, the chaplain at the Manitoba Youth Centre believes this girl is a much different one than is being portrayed in court and in public.

And he feels us media types have been unfair with our coverage.

Have a read - and then tell me what you think by posting your comments below. (The only editing I’ve done is to remove the girl’s name, as publishing it is a violation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act)

*****

Mike,

Colin Peterson, Chaplain, MYC

To whom it may concern,

Re: (The girl’s name)

I have met with (the girl) four times since her admission to the Manitoba Youth Centre.
The purpose of these meetings was to offer spiritual care and counselling. Based on my sessions with (the girl) I would offer the following observations:

(The girl) is, in many respects, a typical teenager who speaks and acts impulsively sometimes minimizing the impact of her words and actions. As a defense mechanism, when (the girl) feels uncomfortable or vulnerable, she presents with a certain measure of hostility or “attitude” and appears to be rude or selfish. When given a safe environment in which to discuss her fears and deepest feelings, it is evident that she is a sensitive young woman who is capable of expressing empathy and remorse with authentic and congruent emotion and affect. It is my belief that her highly publicized remarks to the WPS, while deeply disturbing, were not a true reflection of (the girl’s) beliefs and feelings but more likely a post-traumatic response and a reflection of the profound emotion surrounding the events about which she was being questioned.

My sessions with her have been emotional sessions indeed. It is my conviction that with ongoing support and counselling, (the girl), will learn to trust persons in positions of authority and express her feelings of pain and sadness more openly and appropriately.

Yours truly,

The Rev. Colin Peterson; M.Div. S.T.M.
Chaplain – Manitoba Youth Centre

He describes himself as a loyal, proud soldier who has served his country with honour.

But there is another side to this 25-year-old Winnipeg man. And as we heard in court this week, his actions with his own family have been anything but honourable.

The man -who can’t be named under a court order - admits he deliberately and brutally inflicted pain on his tiny triplet sons following their births last year.

His so-called “explanation” for his actions is chilling, to say the least. As Crown attorney Jennifer Mann said in court, it appears that he believes the babies had some kind of personal vendetta against him.

“These three babies are screaming at me 24/7. I’m frustrated all the time. I know I’m hurting them… but they all set me off sometimes,” he said.

The father even told police he took steps to ensure the abuse wouldn’t be discovered by his wife or anyone else.

“I would squeeze them because it didn’t leave a mark. That was my biggest concern,” he said.

You’d like to think a parent’s biggest concern would be the well-being of their children. But the sad reality is there are plenty of people out there who are clearly unfit to raise children.

I have all the sympathy in the world for the frustrations and struggles associated with raising children, especially little babies. As a father of two, my wife and I had many long days and nights where we seriously questioned what we’d gotten ourselves into.

And I can only imagine the stress being felt in this family, where the arrival of triplets - in addition to a two-year-old boy - would have likely felt overwhelming at times.

But no amount of strain should ever excuse a parent for harming their children.

It will be a long time before I can get the horrible description of the triplets’ injuries out of my head. They suffered a combined 19 broken bones and, in the words of their own father, likely would have ended up being murdered if not for police intervention.

Crown attorney Jennifer Mann told court the man’s disconnect with his children was painfully obvious — he didn’t even know their birthdate and said he couldn’t tell them apart.

“They’re just A, B and C to me,” he told police.

He admitted to having a “horrible” temper and said their constant crying caused him to lash out. But he admits even little things — such as bad radio programs or even people staring at him — can set him off.

“It doesn’t take much,” he said.

The Crown now wants him to serve another 18 months in jail, in addition to nine months he’s already spent behind bars since his arrest.

He is seeking to be released immediately. His lawyer will make submissions on Monday, and is expected to provide a laundry list of apparently explanations for his client’s behaviour.

The soldier will apparently cite a two-month stint in Kandahar in 2006 that may have left him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Family members told me last year the man — who works in maintenance and didn’t see any front-line duty — had trouble sleeping since his return.

They also came forward to complain they had made repeated pleas for child-care assistance from the province and Canadian Forces that fell on deaf ears.

The Crown admits there was a delay in getting respite care to the couple but said the father must ultimately take responsibility for his actions, which includes turning down other offers of assistance.

The man also told police he’d previously abused his two-year-old son as a baby — incidents which would have pre-dated his trip to Afghanistan.

It will be interesting to see what the judge decides to do with this case. Clearly the children are now out of harms way and apparently showing no long-term symptoms from their injuries. But should the father spend some more time behind bars?

And what about his status with the Military? They have continued to support him since his arrest, including offering to have him stay on the Winnipeg base under 24-hour supervision if he were to be released on bail. A judge refused.

Is he still fit to serve the country with “honour”?

www.mikeoncrime.com

Fascinating story came across the news wire today.

I’ve always been an advocate of trying something different, something unique, to get a message across - especially when it’s clear traditional methods aren’t working.

And as I’ve written before in this space, I’ll never understand why some people just snub their noses at the risks associated with drinking driving.

That being said, I’m not sure how I feel about the following. Should we be cheering school officials for “thinking outside the box” - or did they cross the proverbial line with their approach?

Have a read, and post your thoughts below. We’ll discuss this on my national radio show Sunday evening.

OCEANSIDE, California (AP) — On a Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Several students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend.

What would you do if you witnessed a crime unfolding right in front of you? Of if you saw someone who was in need of immediate help?

Would you dial 911 and just let the authorities handle it? Would you try and stop the bad guy or help the victim? Or would you simply turn a blind eye and do nothing?

Before you answer, consider the following two cases.

*****

Amanda Bourque may be nine months pregnant, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from doing the right thing.

And to the 30-year-old Tecumseh, Ontario woman, that meant stopping a suspect drunk driver for wreaking any more havoc in her hometown.

As Bourque told a national radio audience on my “Crime and Punishment” radio show Sunday night, she has no regrets about her actions last week.

She was driving to her work, around noon, when she caught a glimpse of a car in her rear-view mirror that immediately set off warning bells.

The male driver was all over the road and eventually took out a string of garbage cans, including one flattened container still being dragged under his car.

Bourque, who didn’t have a cell phone, pulled over and let the maniac pass.

I suggested to her Sunday that this is where most people would have ended their involvement.

Bourque had other ideas. She stepped on the gas and gave chase, leaning on her horn in an attempt to get the driver to pull over (and warn other motorists).

She watched in horror as he veered into oncoming traffic, narrowly missing hitting another car head-on. Finally, he turned into the parking lot of a convenience store, went up over the curb, over the sidewalk, over the grass, over another curb before coming to rest in a parking stall.

Bourque began screaming at the man, letting him know he’d nearly killed people on the road. She also told him the police would likely be coming shortly.

That prompted the pan to back up, hit a brick wall and take off again.

Bourque wasn’t going to give up.

She continued to follow and honk and pray - then finally got the chance to act when he slammed into the back of a parked car at a stop sign. Nobody was injured.

Bourque used her own car to box the man in, holding him until police arrived moments later and took the 54-year-old driver into custody. He’s now charged with being impaired.

“She probably saved a life that day,” one caller to the radio show said Sunday.

Another interesting aspect of the case is the reaction from police, who normally pooh-pooh (at least publicly) the notion of taking matters into your own hands.

Const. Janet Hayes said she’ll nominate Bourque for a public service award, saying the woman put herself and her baby at risk to save the lives of others, and not everyone would do that.

“Here is a woman who has a lot at stake and she’s willing to take the risk to herself and unborn child to do the right thing, to save a life,” she told the Windsor Star. “She’s a true hero.”

Bourque told me she wasn’t trying to be a hero - she was just doing what she hoped any other citizen would.

“If I would have seen in the paper that somebody got killed, or a mother and her two children were in a bad accident because of this guy, and I just turned my back, there is no way I’d ever be able to sleep. Never,” she told the Star.

Her story is a refreshing reminder that there are still some very good people in this world - especially in light of the following story.

*****

The 78-year-old man lay critically injured on the road, his frail body broken after being hit by a car seconds earlier which they sped away without stopping.

Perhaps even more shocking than last week’s tragic hit-and-run in Hartford is what happened next.

Nothing.

Surveillance cameras which captured Angel Arce Torres being mowed down also revealed another disturbing sight - numerous cars zooming past and bystanders simply staring at Torres from the sidewalk without going anywhere near him.

“We no longer have a moral compass,” a grim-faced police Chief Daryl Roberts told reporters last week upon releasing the videos to the public.

Police did admit they received a handful of 911 emergency calls made shortly after the senior was hit. They released portions of two calls on Friday.

“Send an ambulance quick, quick, quick, he’s bleeding hard,” one man implores an emergency operator.

Although it’s nice to know a few people felt moved enough to dial for help, it still doesn’t explain the shocking non-reaction from everyone at the scene.

The government has now offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the motorists involved in the accident.

As some calls to “Crime and Punishment” suggested Sunday, they may want to throw in some additional funds for anyone who can find out where that missing “moral compass” has gone.

*****

Two very different cases. And two very different reactions.

What prompted Amanda Bourque to take such an active role in her situation while those in Hartford seemingly viewed getting involved as a major inconvenience.

If anything, Bourque had much more to fear - she’s about to give birth and was chasing down a dangerous driver. What could the people of Connecticut been afraid of by approaching the injured man??

This issue runs much deeper than these two examples, of course. And by no means is it as simple as saying “Canadians are more caring than Americans.”

We’ve all seen and heard plenty of homegrown stories where people showed a glaring indifference, or worse, in similar situations.

I’ve personally covered several trials in the past year alone where lack of witness co-operation mean the suspect walked. Of course, there are many others cases which never even made it to court for similar reasons.

Why is this?

Is it the fact many people are simply self-absorbed and can’t be bothered to care about anyone other than those in their immediate world?

Is it a product of the Internet world we now live in, where actual human connections have taken a backseat to the virtual variety?

Is it because of frustrations with the justice system, where people think getting involved will be more trouble than its worth and simply lead to years of legal headaches with no satisfactory conclusion?

All I know is this.

Amanda Bourque said she couldn’t have slept at night had she just kept on driving.

I wonder how the people who refused to help the elderly hit-and-run victim are sleeping these days?

www.mikeoncrime.com