Provost family at Lethbridge Courthouse (Lethbridge News Now)

By Lara Fominoff

Preliminary Inquiry Set

Preliminary inquiry set for man charged in death of Pikanii Band Councillor Barney Provost

Jun 19, 2019 | 2:02 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The frustration the Provost family and their close friends feel – attending provincial court in Lethbridge every few weeks – hoping progress is made in the Douglas Bagnall case – is evident.

Carrying signs reading “Barney didn’t get a chance,” and “we weren’t ready to say goodbye,” more than a dozen people gathered for a peaceful show of support for 41-year old Barney Provost’s widow Kristi, her children and Barney’s mother on Wednesday, June 19 at the Lethbridge Courthouse.

Family friend Ryan Crosschild told reporters every time they attend one of Bagnall’s appearances; it takes an emotional toll on them.

“This is reliving a nightmare, every time we have to be here,” he explained. “We still cling to the hope that something will change; that there will be a gesture that will show that we’re actually entering an era of real transformative truth and reconciliation.”

Ryan Crosschild (Lethbridge News Now)

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Provost, who was a Pikanii Band Councillor, a teacher and principle at Tsuut’ina High School and an active sobriety advocate, was killed nearly one year ago. On June 25, 2018, a Toyota Corolla driving the wrong way on Highway 3, west of the Highway 509 intersection hit a Chevy Impala, killing the driver and injuring a 12-year-old girl.

Bagnall was not arrested until Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 and was shortly after released on conditions following a bail hearing.

As Bagnall appeared via CCTV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre wearing a jumper and sporting long grey hair and a long grey beard, an agent for his St. Albert area lawyer William Tatarchuck, along with Crown Prosecutor Erin Olsen, set a date for a preliminary inquiry. Bagnall has elected trial by judge alone in Court of Queen’s Bench.

The 62-year-old is facing seven charges, including four counts of breach of conditions, one count of impaired driving, one count of impaired driving causing death, and one count of dangerous driving causing death.

A warrant for his arrest was issued after he failed to attend court in December, but it was held three times. Bagnall also failed to check in with Lethbridge Police as required six times before he was caught. He was spotted at an A & W restaurant on Jan. 15 on Scenic Drive having lunch, just as he was supposed to appear in court.

He was arrested Jan. 16, 2019 for breach of conditions, and the Provost family wonders why it took so long.

“All we want, we want there to be a fair trial. We want there to be …. to take those things into consideration. The family is having to relived this over and over and over again…and it’s been almost a year.”

A forensic assessment was ordered for Bagnall on March 1 because of concerns over his health and the effects chronic alcoholism may have taken on his memory and overall health.

The results of the assessment, according to family members, indicate he has been found fit to stand trial.

Bagnall will be back in court for a preliminary inquiry September 13 where a judge will determine if there is enough admissible evidence to justify a potential conviction.