Store employee gets dragged by getaway car

SUMMERSIDE - She drove the getaway car for a man who fled after attempting to steal candy from a city store. And she ended up dragging along the employee who chased after the thief.
In December, Jennifer Lynn Barlow will find out if she'll be heading to jail for the crime. The 26-year-old city woman pleaded guilty in Summerside Provincial Court this week to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
On Aug. 2, Barlow's co-accused attempted to steal four cases of candy from a Granville Street store but was caught by a store employee.
The man fled out the store's back door followed by the employee. An employee of the nearby store chased the man. That's when a car, driven by Barlow, pulled up and her co-accused jumped in the backseat.
The male employee who had given chase grabbed the car in an attempt to stop it but Barlow drove off, dragging the man more than a half kilometre before he was able to safely let go.
Her co-accused was sentenced in September to six months behind bars on the theft charge and several other theft charges.
Barlow had no previous record.
"This is a serious matter," said Crown attorney David O'Brien. "Certainly that type of activity has to stop, a deterrent message sent."
Barlow's lawyer Yolande Richard requested, since time in jail was possible, that a presentence report be prepared.
Judge Jeff Lantz agreed.
"I suspect there are other issues behind the scene here that may be good to get a handle on," said Lantz.
Sentencing was adjourned to Dec. 1 at 10 a.m.