Judge’s decision on carjacking adjourned

By Delon Shurtz on July 15, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A judge’s decision following a violent carjacking trial earlier this year has been adjourned for two weeks.
Judge Gregory Maxwell was expected to deliver his verdict Wednesday in Lethbridge provincial court in the Cory Ray Williams case, but he said he needed time to review submissions from the Crown and defence before he would be prepared to make a decision.
Williams stood trial in May on numerous charges, including kidnapping, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous driving, uttering threats to cause death, housebreaking and robbery. At the conclusion of the week-long trial, during which Williams did not testify, the matter was adjourned for two months while lawyers prepared their written arguments for the judge.
Williams is accused of attacking his brother with a machete Oct. 20, 2019. Several minutes later, and only a couple of blocks away, a man approached a parked car and held a machete to the driver’s throat.
During Williams’ trial, court was told the suspect forced the driver, Wesley McNeil, to drive him toward the Blood Reserve, but part way there kicked him out of the vehicle and sped away. The carjacker returned and began chasing another vehicle that had picked up McNeil while he walked along the highway.
RCMP chased the carjacker to Fort Macleod where they later found the abandoned vehicle. A few hours later police learned someone had stolen a vehicle from a Fort Macleod residence and had taken it to Lethbridge.
Two days later police responded to a disturbance along 2 Avenue South in Lethbridge where a man was wielding a sword. While police responded to the call, they received information of an attempted carjacking in the area.
Crown witness Richard Neudorf testified he was sitting in his vehicle when a man opened the passenger door and held a knife to his throat.
Neudorf was able to grab the weapon and disarm the assailant, who then pulled out another knife but jumped on a bicycle and fled.
Although Calgary lawyer Andre Ouellette did not dispute the facts of the case, he does dispute the suspect’s identity.
Neither victim was able to identify their assailant, although Williams’ DNA was discovered on a baseball cap that was found on the ground where McNeil was dropped off on the side of the road.

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