Man facing assault charges hopes to avoid trial

By Delon Shurtz on December 5, 2020.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

The lawyer for a man accused of assaulting a couple of city business owners during an intoxicated frenzy earlier in the year hopes to resolve the charges without a trial.
During a brief hearing Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, an agent for Calgary lawyer Balfour Der explained Der wants to resolve the case against his client, Alan Edwin Valin, and is waiting for a reply to an email on the matter he sent the Crown.
That reply, however, will not be ready until the new year, court was told, and the case was adjourned to Jan. 8.
Valin, who was previously referred by the court for a psychiatric assessment, faces numerous charges following an incident June 15 in which the owner of a business in the 2400 block of Fairway Plaza called police to complain about a man who was “going crazy” and refusing to leave the business.
Police reported that the man, who may have been intoxicated, finally left the business but re-entered shortly afterward and assaulted the owner. The business co-owner attempted to help but was also assaulted and received minor injuries.
When police arrived the suspect threatened to smash the officer’s head. As the suspect was being taken to the police station, he managed to get his handcuffs in front of his body and damaged the partition in the police vehicle. He then grabbed the police rifle and tried to dislodge it from its secure mounts.
The officer driving the vehicle called for assistance and was able to prevent the suspect from gaining control of the rifle. The man was then restrained with a leg restraint and handcuffed again.
Valin is charged with assault with intent to resist arrest, causing a disturbance, attempt to disarm a police officer, uttering threats to cause death/bodily harm, and mischief.

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