Man charged with assault may resolve charges without trial
By Herald on November 13, 2020.
Delon Shurtz
Lethbridge Herald
dshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com
A 28-year-old man accused of assaulting a couple of city business owners during an intoxicated frenzy last summer may resolve his charges without the need for a trial.
A judge was told Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court that the accused’s lawyer, Balfour Der of Calgary, was in the middle of resolution discussions with the Crown, and needs time to continue those discussions.
Alan Edwin Valin 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 said the man, who may have been intoxicated, finally left the business but re-entered shortly afterward and assaulted the owner. A co-owner attempted to help but was also assaulted and received minor injuries.
When a police officer 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. He was then placed in leg restraints and handcuffed again.
Valin’s charges include assault with intent to resist arrest, causing a disturbance, attempt to disarm a police officer, utter threats to cause death or bodily harm, and mischief.
Court was told during a hearing in October that the accused had received a psychiatric assessment. The matter is scheduled to return to court Nov. 26.
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