A Prince George youth has been found guilty of stabbing another youth when a bout of play wrestling got out of hand.
During a trial on the matter, counsel for the youth argued the stabbing was accidental and committed in self defence, but in a decision issued August 11 Provincial Court Judge Judith Doulis found otherwise.
According to a summary of the incident, on the evening of Jan. 15, 2021 the youth, identified as L.A. and who was 13 years old at the time, was returning home with four others ranging in age from 14-16 years old after gathering at Pine Centre Mall and the McDonald's on Massey Drive.
They were walking along a trail in Carrie Jane Gray Park behind the YMCA and the baseball diamonds when one of them stopped to go to the bathroom. During the hiatus, L.A. began to play wrestle with another older and bigger youth, identified as D.A.
Some good-natured wrestling broke out after L.A. challenged him. But, at some point, the fighting became less playful and as to what happened next, accounts vary.
D.A. testified he had raised his fist to punch L.A. as a way to make him stop when he "felt a quick slicing through the right side of his chest back to his armpit."
Conversely, both L.A. and another of the youth testified D.A. took a run at L.A. after a cigarette was either grabbed or knocked out of his mouth. L.A. testified he had pulled out a knife he had been carrying to "scare off" D.A. after being pushed to the ground and that the knife "hit him on the side" when D.A. "ran at me and swung."
Either way, D.A. ended up in hospital where he was treated for a puncture wound to his chest. A drainage tube was inserted into his right lung and the wound was stitched up. It took him about a week to recover.
Doulis found the stabbing was neither accidental nor committed in self defence.
The weapon was described as an 8 1/4-inches long, once folded out, and with a black blade. It was dark out and L.A. did not warn D.A. he had a knife, a "significant omission" given the setting, the judge noted.
Doulis also concluded L.A. was "not in a hostile environment" noting that although it was night time, he was with his older brother and friends and went on to conclude L.A.'s use of the knife was a "disproportionate response."
The youth was found guilty of assault with a weapon, unlawfully causing bodily harm and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
