A Prince George man faces sentencing for an apparently drug-fueled attack in which a convenience store clerk came close to losing an eye when struck by a pizza slicer.
Following a trial in B.C. Supreme Court, Wesley Charles Goosehead was found guilty of aggravated assault and three counts of assault with a weapon from the May 11, 2016 incident at a 7-11.
The victim suffered a laceration across his cheek, the bridge of his nose and an eyelid and continues to suffer issues with his vision which likely flow from the attack, according to the findings of Justice Robert Jenkins.
Most of Goosehead's actions were caught on video but the actual attack occurred in an office and out of the camera's view. Known to employees and, for a time, banned from the store for shoplifting, he walked into the store at about 4 a.m., bought a coffee then left.
But he soon returned and got into a lengthy exchange with another clerk in which he repeatedly demanded to "let the woman out of the cupboard." Goosehead was told to leave if he was not going to buy anything, but he continued to confront the employee over the matter.
Concerned about Goosehead's strange behaviour and the possibility he may have taken illegal drugs, the employee called the RCMP.
Goosehead tried to step onto the raised area where the clerks serve customers and prepare food but the employee managed to push him off. However, the standoff continued with Goosehead becoming more rowdy.
After about 10 minutes, Goosehead walked down a hallway and into the office where the victim was on break. According to witness testimony, Goosehead looked around the office, grabbed the slicers and hit the victim in the face with one of them.
The clerk who was in the original confrontation had followed Goosehead. He grabbed a hole punch and hit Goosehead on the arm to try to force him to drop the slicers. The victim, meanwhile, had grabbed the tray where the slicers had been sitting and used it to protect himself.
Still wielding the slicers, Goosehead made his way back out to the sales area where another employee retreated under the edge of a counter and then ran away while a customer leapt over the counter to get away.
The other two were able to corner Goosehead in the sales area and waited for police to arrive. Goosehead opened a drawer which contained various items, apparently including scissors and cutters, but one of the two immediately closed the drawer and it was not opened again.
Shortly after, police arrived and arrested Goosehead, who by that time was very compliant.
Jenkins issued his decision on Oct. 20 and Goosehead will be sentenced at a later date. Aggravated assault carries a maximum term of 14 years in prison.
