Hand and Gavel (Lethbridge News NOW)

By Lara Fominoff

Lethbridge man involved in violent downtown incident found not guilty of aggravated assault

Aug 1, 2019 | 2:38 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A Lethbridge judge has found a 30-year-old man not guilty of aggravated assault, but guilty of breach of recognizance instead.

Back on December 10, 2018, William Fick and 26-year-old Christopher Degeorgio were involved in two violent altercations; one near the Lethbridge Food Bank, and the other in the middle of a downtown intersection at 3 Ave, S. and 12 St. S.

During the first incident, the judge described how both were known to one another, and on the day in question, Degeorgio, his mother and another woman went to the food bank. As they were leaving, Fick and another woman arrived.

There, the two men became involved in a fight, with the 26-year-old as the aggressor. Punches were exchanged, and then he got into the passenger side of a car driven by his mother and left.

As the vehicle stopped for a red light about three blocks away, Degeorgio noticed Fick behind him as a passenger in a four-door pickup truck. That’s when the judge said he got out of his car with an ice scraper and asked Fick why he was following him.

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Fick’s vehicle pulled into the adjoining lane closer to the car, and as that occurred, Degeorgio hit the rear passenger side window, shattering it.

Fick then got out of the passenger side and confronted the other man. Almost simultaneously, but with Degeorgio striking first, the two once again fought.

The 26-year-old then claimed he had been stabbed in the chest area and fell to the ground. He then got up and went back to the car, which was then driven to Chinook Regional Hospital where he was treated for a stab wound.

The judge however, says Degeorgio did not see Fick with a knife, but possibly a stick. He told the court Degeorgio was not a credible witness because of his drug use, he did not produce any medical records, and that Fick exercised a reasonable amount of force given the situation.

He found the Crown did not prove its case against the 30-year-old beyond a reasonable doubt and found him not guilty.

Fick was however, convicted of breaching conditions he had recently been released on. Because he had been in custody for 235 days (353 with enhanced 1.5 days credit for each day served), he was sentenced to time served.

Degeorgio is also still facing several charges.