A man accused of beating someone unconscious with a rock will spend his holidays in custody.
Joshua Floyd Paul, a 26-year-old Lac La Biche-area man, was arrested for aggravated assault after an incident at a local location on Aug. 21 resulted in one man being flown to an Edmonton hospital with serious injuries.
Paul appeared in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse via CCTV on Tuesday, Dec. 18 in hopes of getting bail, but was denied on all grounds.
The altercation with the male victim happened nearly two years after Paul was released on conditions.
On Aug. 21, Paul and the victim of the assault had gotten into a fight when the accused grabbed a rock and beat the man senseless.
Bystanders called RCMP who attended the scene. They found the victim unconscious in a pool of blood.
Crown prosecutor Jordan Kerr said the victim's injuries included his head being caved-in and his ears "hanging off."
The male was taken to an Edmonton hospital via air ambulance. When police reached out to him for a statement, he said he couldn't recall what happened that night.
Paul had fled the scene of the crime before police had arrived.
He was located at a residence in Kehewin a few hours later, but had snuck out the back of the house when he was told police were on their way.
The K-9 unit was dispatched, and Paul, who continued to flee, sustained two bites from the dog as a result.
Paul was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, obstructing/resisting a peace officer, and three counts of failing to comply with conditions.
On Aug. 22, Paul was providing a statement to police when he detailed how the incident unfolded.
According to Paul, he and the victim, along with a female, were drinking and doing laundry when a fight broke out.
Paul claimed he had been assaulted by the victim in the past, and was afraid it would happen again.
In order to harden his fist, Paul put a lighter in his hand, and at one point grabbed the rock that he used to beat the other man.
He told police that he stopped because he didn't want to kill the victim, and fled in order to avoid being arrested and taken to the Edmonton Remand Centre.
During his court appearance on Tuesday, he asked Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams to consider bail under conditions, such as a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
The Crown was opposed to Paul's release. Kerr referred to his "great lengths to avoid apprehension."
Williams agreed.
She noted after fleeing the scene of the assault, Paul went to his parent's house, changed his clothes, and after hearing police were on their way, fled through the back of the residence. He continued to run away on foot, and ignored the officers when they told him they were releasing the dog.
Kerr said if convicted of this offence, Paul will be facing "a lengthy period of custody."
He explained aggravated assault carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
Paul has a prior and related criminal record including charges of assault, assault with a weapon, and failing to comply with conditions.
The father of five said he planned on living at his residence in Beaver Lake First Nation if he was released, but had full intention of seeking treatment for alcoholism.
Paul's lawyer, Robert Gladu, argued that the incident could have been in self-defence.
"We don't know the circumstances," he stressed.
Paul is scheduled to appear in court for his trial on April 25, 2019.
