Sentencing for man whose driving while high on mushrooms prompted 50 calls to 911

The ruling says Aragon-Martinez only came to a stop after hitting a rock face, and after he got out of the vehicle he struggled with police who arrested him.

Aragon-Martinez had nearly 800 grams of psilocybin in his backpack, and was “either impaired by psilocybin or experiencing a mental health crisis related to his use.”

The ruling says Aragon-Martinez, 49, was born in Mexico and became a Canadian citizen in 2014.

He led a “pro-social life” before having financial troubles, which worsened during the pandemic because he refused to be vaccinated, becoming “effectively homeless” afterwards.

The ruling says he was at the 2022 Coutts border truck blockade for 75 days, and was able to find work as a welder after leaving, but his “housing situation remained precarious.”

The court ruling says his mental health diagnosis is unclear apart from “substance-induced psychotic disorder,” and the judge said it was concerning that he’d “repeatedly” refused antipsychotic medication.

Aragon-Martinez also amassed a criminal record after his release, including assault with a weapon, uttering threats, mischief and breaching his release order.

“Aragon-Martinez has been experiencing mental health breakdowns which have caused him to be in conflict with the law,” the ruling says. “He wants another chance to prove to his children that he is a good man.”

The judge imposed a number of conditions on Aragon-Martinez, including that he observe a curfew while living at a recovery house in Penticton, B.C.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Sentencing for man whose driving while high on mushrooms prompted 50 calls to 911

What's Trending