By Tiffany Goodwein

Sentencing delayed for attempted stabbing suspect

Jan 30, 2020 | 5:27 PM

A man seen chasing another man while brandishing a knife in broad daylight in May 2019 will have to wait another day to hear his fate.

Stephen Curtis Smith appeared via video from the Okanagan Correctional Centre Thursday for a sentencing hearing in a provincial courtroom in Vernon.

The harrowing incident occurred at a busy 32 Avenue parking lot and resulted in several bystanders calling police.

On Dec. 30, 2019, Smith plead guilty to three charges stemming from the May 30 incident including assault with a weapon, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and breach of probation.

Witnesses at the time told Vernon Matters they saw a man attempt to stab another man through the sunroof of a Honda Civic, following a heated foot chase.

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“I heard yelling and screaming. There were two gentlemen running around and one was yelling at the other that he was going to do really bad things with him with a knife, a large knife,” said one witness who requested anonymity.

Smith was arrested by police and officers found him in possession of a knife.

Nearly two weeks prior to the 32 Avenue incident, the court heard that Smith allegedly punched a man to the ground at the Gateway Shelter, and allegedly called the victim a “roof rat” before taking off.

The male victim received three stitches above his right eye and scrapes to his head.

Smith was charged with assault causing bodily harm and plead guilty to the charge late last year.

While the accused was in custody, he was also charged with one count of mischief after allegedly damaging kitchen equipment at the Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver.

“He began to take items in the kitchen including a microwave and other appliances and began throwing them against the wall,” said Crown lawyer Brock Bellrichard who told the court that roughly $3000 in damage was done to the correctional centre’s kitchen.

Smith plead guilty to the mischief charge during the sentencing hearing this afternoon.

The two sides originally put forward a joint submission but were caught at a crossroads as to the appropriate length of sentence for the mischief charge. The Crown proposed 60-days, which the defence vehemently opposed, citing Smith’s mental health issues, and recent knowledge of the sworn charges.

Crown is requesting a seven-and-a-half month sentence for the May 12 assault followed by a 30-day concurrent sentence for breach of probation. A five-month concurrent sentence is also being requested for the May 30 incident followed by 12 months probation.

Judge Richard Hewson ultimately adjourned sentencing to Friday afternoon so the two sides can come to an agreement on an sentence.

“A joint submission, you either have to be all in, or you are not in at all, and right now I got two-thirds of a joint submission,” he said.

by Tiffany Goodwein

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