Murder charge laid in hit-and-run death of Thorsby gas station owner

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.

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"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."

Jo, 54, was killed in a hit and run at the Fas Gas service station in Thorsby on Oct. 6, 2017.

Police said a stolen white cube van was seen driving away after the driver didn't pay for gas. Jo, who owned the service station, tried to stop the driver and was fatally injured when struck by the van.

The hit and run was witnessed by several people, police said.

One witness told CBC News 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.

'My father's still gone'

Jo's 30-year-old son, Ed Jo, said police told the family about the murder chargeFriday.

"The moment they mentioned it, I just started crying," he said.

"It just gave us emotional relief. That's about it. It doesn't change the reality that my father's still gone."

Jo said his father was a hard-working man who cared deeply about his son, daughter and wife.

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The family feels safer now that a suspect is in custody, he said.

"Our family was really waiting for this guy to be caught because our family worried every day, thinking this guy would come to our store and do something bad to us," he said.

Jo said police didn't provide the family with details on how they tracked Sydlowski down, but did showthemhis photograph.

Longcriminal record

Sydlowski, 27, was arrested on May 25 while incarcerated at the Edmonton Remand Centre on other charges.

Court records show he has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2009.

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A bail hearing was held Saturday, police said, and the case has been set over until Tuesday at provincial court in Wetaskiwin. Jo said he plans to attend the hearing.

"I just want to hear what he's going to say," he said.

Last October,the Alberta government introduced legislation aimed at preventing gas-and-dash incidents by requiring drivers topay before filling up at gas stations. The new rules take effect Friday.