A 39-year-old man from Timber Lake, Saskatchewan faces four charges in connection with a Tuesday night attack on two people in the backyard of a home in the town of Taber.
According to the Taber Police Service, officers were called to a home in the 5000 block of 53 Avenue shortly before midnight following reports of an assault.
Police located an injured 26-year-old woman, who had recently moved to Taber from Saskatchewan, and an injured 25-year-old man from Saskatchewan. Officers believe the victims had been injured by a 39-year-old man armed with a garden spade.
As a result of the investigation, officers allege Maurice Joseph Lavallee had attacked the female victim with the spade and proceeded to choke her. The male victim attempted to intervene but the suspect struck him with the spade, rendering him unconscious. The suspect allegedly continued to strike the prone man in the head with the weapon.
The injured man was transported to the Taber Hospital where a STARS Air Ambulance crew accepted care of the patient and airlifted him to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. The 25-year-old remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit where he has been interviewed by investigators.
The female victim did not require medical assistance.
Maurice Joseph Lavallee of Timber Lake, Saskatchewan was arrested and charged in connection with the attacks.
Lavallee faces charges of:
- Attempted murder
- Aggravated assault
- Assault with a weapon
- Uttering threats
Lavallee remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Taber Provincial Court on Tuesday, January 17, 2017.
The town of Taber is located approximately 50 kilometres east of Lethbridge on Highway 3.
