Castlegar man faces sentencing on multiple charges
By Kyra Hoggan
A Castlegar man is slated for sentencing in Nelson court today in connection with charges ranging from assault of a police officer to break-and-enter after two dramatic incidents, one this year and one last year.
Kelly Gyurkovits, 38, faces multiple charges that also include escaping lawful custody, breach of probation and theft of a police car.
The first set of charges is related to an incident in August of last year, in which a police car was stolen, an officer injured, and gunfire exchanged with police near Columbia Avenue in Castlegar.
Gyurkovits ran afoul of the law again this July, after an alleged assault led to two police chases and a stand-off that ended in the suspect throwing himself from a Trail bridge.
RCMP Cpl. Mike Mysko said July 9 saw police responding to a home near Castlegar’s city centre after reports of an assault at about 9 p.m., only to find the suspect had fled the residence.
Shortly thereafter, the suspect was spotted heading toward Trail on Columbia Avenue, but when West Kootenay Traffic Services members attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect refused to stop and began to, “drive erratically in a manner that actually placed the public at risk,” according to Mysko.
Mysko said police broke off pursuit to protect other motorists, instead alerting Trail police and giving them a description of the vehicle headed their way.
Trail RCMP members deployed a spike belt, which the suspect evaded before stopping the vehicle and proceeding on foot to Old Trail Bridge, where he climbed over the railing and engaged in a “lengthy” standoff as police tried to negotiate him to safety.
The standoff ended when the suspect jumped from the bridge and into the Columbia River, swimming to a Trail fire rescue boat that was waiting in the water to affect a rescue.
Gyurkovits was taken to hospital and later released into police custody.
Gyurkovits has pled guilty to charges stemming from the 2008 incident and faces sentencing in a Nelson court today (Aug. 7).
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