Two accused in Coutts case may soon have charges resolved

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on July 9, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

At least two of several people arrested in relation to the protest at the Coutts border in January and February are close to resolving their matters.
During a brief hearing Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, Crown Prosecutor Stephen Johnston said charges of mischief and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose against Luke Berk and Johnson Chichow Law may soon be resolved, but he needs time to gather more information before taking a step.
“The case is close to being resolved, we just need to work out a final issue that I needed information from the police about but I couldn’t get today,” Johnston said.
The matters for several co-accused – Justin Martin, Evan Colenut, Ursulla Allred, Jaclyne Allred and Easton Oler – were also in court Friday. Johnston said some disclosure was still being sent to lawyers, but they had also been sent early case resolution proposals and he expects lawyers for Justin Martin, Jaclyne Martin, Colenut, and Allred to enter pleas when their matters return to court in September. Oler returns to court July 22 while Berk and Law return to court Tuesday.
Two others, Joanne Person and Janx Zaremba, are also charged but there matters were not in court Friday. Person’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 25, while Zaremba has pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial Dec. 6.
RCMP arrested the individuals Feb. 14 during the blockade of trucks and vehicles at the Coutts border, after becoming aware of a cache of firearms and ammunition. The protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions began late January and lasted until Feb. 15 when protestors began dispersing in response to the discovery of weapons.
Person, who is self-represented, also faces an unrelated charge of dangerous driving, stemming from an incident Feb. 1 when a pickup truck drove through the blockade and headed toward oncoming traffic before becoming involved in a head-on collision.
Four additional accused, Christopher Lysak, Anthony Olienick, Jerry Morin and Chris Carbert, face additional charges of conspiracy to commit murder. Lysak, Olienick and Carbert have been denied bail, while a decision on Morin’s bail application is scheduled for July 18.

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