The findings of the psychiatric assessment determine that Marcel Gauvin, of Maisonnette, New Brunswick, is fit to appear at trial. The 62-year-old faces multiple charges, including threatening to assault, dangerous driving and assaulting a police officer with a firearm.
Defendant appeared by videoconference on Thursday in Bathurst Provincial Court, before Judge Joanne Durette, Me Yves Duguay of the Crown and Me Dave Paulin, attorney.
Me Paulin took a few minutes in private with Marcel Gauvin to explain to him the result of the psychiatric assessment imposed on April 25.
Subsequently, the defendant requested the option of legal assistance to secure his defense, which option was accepted.
Marcel Gauvin will return to Provincial Court on Thursday, June 2, at 1:30 pm, still via videoconference, for his release hearing and his choice of trial mode if necessary.
Originally accused of gun theft, Marcel Gauvin was seen extending the list of cases after three days with an armed attack against a police officer, dangerous operation of a mode of transport, uttering threats of injury on the body, use of a firearm for the purpose of committing an offense, among others.
Note of events
An incident regarding noise at a Maisonnette residence quickly erupted, on Sunday April 24 in the early afternoon. Police from the Caraquet RCMP detachment attended the scene after being informed that a man had pointed a gun at another man before fleeing aboard the vehicle.
Thanks to numerous patrols in the region, the man was found while driving in Paquetville. Police officers aboard a patrol car attempted to intercept the suspect’s vehicle.
He refused to stop and fled, driving too fast and overtaking vehicles in a dangerous manner. Members of the Bathurst Police Force offered assistance in the incident.
A police officer found the suspect, who was riding in his vehicle, on a road near Allardville.
The individual pointed his gun in the direction of the police, who were able to get to a safe place, without being injured. The man then fled, into a woods, with his weapon.
Several special police services went to the scene. As a precaution, area residents were asked to stay inside their homes.
At approximately 4:50 pm, the man was found on Highway 134, near a woodland, with the help of the RCMP Police Dog Section and the RCMP Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drone). The man surrendered to police and was arrested without further incident. After he was arrested, police recovered an unsecured gun and ammunition.
Source: Radio-Canada
