Almost 22 months after the incident occurred, James Robert Diegel received a four month conditional sentence and probation for a failed attempt in 2023 to damage the province's Hightide supportive housing, in Sechelt by trying to blow up his van in the parking lot.
On Feb. 20, Sechelt Provincial Court Judge Steven Merrick handed down his decision for a charge of mischief that stemmed from an April 26, 2023 incident. In that, Diegel was rescued by an RCMP officer from the inside his burning van, which was parked outside of the complex at 5656 Hightide Avenue. That site is operated by RanCity Housing on behalf of Vancouver Coastal Health as accommodation for those at risk of homelessness.
'Didn’t want to hurt anybody but himself'
According to crown counsel Tim McKelvey’s submission to the court, Diegel told an acquaintance earlier on that day he planned to start a fire in the van which he said contained six propane cylinders. That individual told authorities that Diegel had said his intent was to end his own life and cause a structure fire at the supportive housing unit. That acquaintance alerted staff at the Hightide facility, who in response, contacted the police and evacuated all people from the building.
The RCMP and Sechelt Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene at about 7:30 p.m. Diegel, who was inside the van when the first responders arrived, later admitted to lighting a fire inside his vehicle. The van suffered significant damage, but the blaze did not spread to the structure or surrounding areas.
Upon inspection of the van after the fire was extinguished, McKelvey said, two propane tanks were found. One was empty and the second partially full.
Diegel was taken to shíshálh Hospital from the incident scene for medical attention. He remained there for several months due to a variety of health issues. In August 2024, he was moved to a long-term care facility where he currently resides. Before the fire, Diegel had used his van as his housing.
On May 30 of last year, Diegel pled guilty to a reduced charge of mischief for lighting the fire. At the sentencing hearing, defence counsel Michael Smith stated that senior citizen “didn’t want to hurt anybody but himself." Smith said that Diegel has expressed remorse that police and firefighters had to attend the incident as well as for the people who had to be evacuated from the building.
Diegel did not speak at the sentencing.
The conditional sentence and one-year probation orders impose a curfew between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Diegel. A “no contact” order in relation to the acquaintance involved in reporting the incident was included and Diegel is prohibited from being within 100 metres of the Hightide supportive housing complex, with an exception granted should he need to attend the Sechelt Food Bank. The orders also require he abstain from use of alcohol and drugs for non-medical purposes.
