A Prince George man has been found guilty of attacking three people he thought were drug dealers but turned out to be two employees at a fast food restaurant and a friend who was giving them a ride home.
Armed with a metal baseball bat, Alvin Ray Iverson, 48, emerged from his home behind the A&W on 20th Avenue during the early morning hours of April 23, 2015 to confront the trio in the restaurant's parking lot just after the location had been closed for the night.
According to testimony heard at a trial before Prince George provincial court judge Judith Doulis, one of the employees heard a man shout "you can't do drugs from here," and saw Iverson com towards him.
Despite taking his jacket off to show his uniform, Iverson did not stop. He chest bumped and kicked the considerably smaller man, the court was told.
Worried Iverson might hit them with the baseball bat, the two employees backed away and tried to reach their friend's car, which was about 15 feet away. But Iverson was standing between them and the car and in his fury hit the vehicle with the bat, the court heard, while demanding they go away.
The friend, meanwhile, had called 911 and police quickly arrived. By that time the three were in the car and had made their way to the 7-11 nearby while also seeing Iverson retreat to his home.
Iverson answered when an RCMP officer knocked on his door, saying immediately "I thought they were selling drugs." Told he was under arrest, Iverson turned away and a tussle ensued before three officers had him subdued and handcuffed.
Unprompted, Iverson later admitted his actions to police as they sat in an RCMP vehicle in front of his house and said he was sorry for what he did. He was released without being taken to the detachment.
During the trial, Iverson testified he and his teenage son had lived in the home for two years after moving there from a home next door. While their old home was protected by a five-foot-high fence and security system, a dilapidated fence was all that separated their new home from the A&W.
Consequently, he had "people running rampant through my yard, stealing stuff, all the time."
Iverson could see the parking lot from his kitchen and living room and told the court there was drug dealing at the site day and night.
Iverson said he had drank six or seven beer over about six hours on the night in question. When he saw the three, he assumed they were drug dealers and took the bat to show he meant business but denied the chest bump and kick although he never recanted his admission to police that he hit the car with the bat. Rather, he said he apologized and shook one of the three's hands after they explained they worked there.
Doulis found Iverson was not "as calm and controlled as he describes."
"He had been drinking throughout the evening. He was clearly distressed at the rampant drug trafficking in his neighbourhood generally and at the A&W in particular," Doulis continued.
Iverson was found guilty of one count each of assault, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief under $5,000. He was found not guilty of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and obstructing peace officers.
The verdict was issued in late August. Sentencing will occur at a later date.
