trial
“HE’S SHOOTING AT ME, HE’S SHOOTING AT ME:” Dramatic audio from the 2012 Westside Road shootout with police
KELOWNA – The chase lasts close to an hour and takes police from West Kelowna to Vernon along the busy, winding Westside Road in the middle of summer 2012. During that time, police are shot at and their cars rammed by a suspect desperate to get away. It began shortly after 1 p.m. July 31...
Murder re-trial begins with recorded confession from accused
GRAPHIC CONTENT ADVISORY KAMLOOPS – The re-trial for a Kamloops man accused of beating his girlfriend to death began in Kamloops Supreme Court Wednesday afternoon with a confession he allegedly made to an undercover police officer posing as a crime boss. In 2007, Robert Donald Balbar met with several undercover police officers for nearly three...
Dangerous offender hearing to start next week
PENTICTON - A dangerous offender hearing and sentencing for sex offender David Wesley Bobbitt will begin next Monday, June 23 in Penticton Supreme Court. Bobbitt pleaded guilty last April to several charges including sexual assault, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and confinement from an incident in 2012. Sentencing through the dangerous offender hearing, which...
Retired teacher charged with possession of child pornography to stand trial next year
KAMLOOPS – The trial for a retired special education teacher charged with possession of child pornography won’t take place until next year. Jerry Waselenkoff was scheduled for a preliminary hearing by Provincial Court Judge this week. On Tuesday, he elected to be tried by a Supreme Court judge alone. He has pleaded not guilty to...
Mountie acquitted on dangerous driving charges
SALMON ARM - A mountie on trial for dangerous driving in relation to the death of a Cherryville woman has been acquitted, according to court documents. Micah Chan, born in 1977, was charged with one count of dangerous driving after a short chase that ended with the death of 21-year-old Courtenay Eggen. The charge was laid...
Mountie on trial for dangerous driving in relation to death of Cherryville woman
SALMON ARM - A police officer accused of dangerous driving in connection with the death of a Cherryville woman is now on trial in Salmon Arm Provincial Court. Const. Micah Chan, born in 1977, faces one count of dangerous driving in relation to the June 2013 accident that killed 21-year-old Courtenay Brianne Eggen. The Independent...
Tearful testimony from cops who thought they were going to die
KELOWNA – Two RCMP constables, testifying in the Kelowna Supreme Court trial of accused Westside Road shooter Michael Ellis Thursday afternoon, relived a day they will never forget. Const. Tara Schneider was working general duty in Vernon the afternoon of July 31, 2012 when a call that police were in pursuit of a suspect who...
Man accused of online luring, child pornography will stand trial
VERNON - A Vernon man accused of possessing child pornography and luring children has been ordered to stand trial. David Willerth, born in 1974, faces 25 charges including making or publishing child pornography, communicating via computer to to lure children under 16, and invitation to sexual touching. After a five-hour preliminary inquiry June 19, the...
UPDATE: Mom came home to unresponsive baby, court hears
"I WAS TRYING TO GET ANY REACTION OUT OF HER" KAMLOOPS – A Barnhartvale mother delivered tearful testimony in Kamloops Supreme Court this morning about her husband's alleged assault on their infant daughter. Often pausing to collect herself, Cassandra Gunn, born in 1980, said she and her husband were often challenged by their daughter, who...
Delays in Snelson manslaughter re-trial
KAMLOOPS – A Kelowna man awarded a new trial for manslaughter—scheduled this time in Kamloops—is still waiting to set a re-trial date as he now searches for a new lawyer. Neil Snelson said his trial lawyer, Wade Jenson—also the lawyer who argued the new trial should be moved to Kamloops—is no longer representing him. Snelson was...