Tim Petruk – Kamloops This Week
A trio of alleged thieves the Crown claims was found hiding under logs in the woods near Little Fort in May went to trial in B.C. Supreme Court last week.
Mark Aaron Pauls, Andrew James Shreenan and William Randolph Hill were arrested on May 4 after allegedly fleeing from police. They face a raft of charges, including multiple counts related to a stolen shotgun.
Crown prosecutor Iain Currie said a Mountie in Little Fort spotted two vehicles speeding through the community. When he turned on his police lights, court heard, the vehicles — a Dodge Neon and a Volkswagen Golf — sped away.
Currie said the vehicles were found on a forest-service road a short time later. He said the accused tried to drive away, but became stuck in mud. They then fled on foot, Currie said.
Two hours after that, the three accused were found by investigators.
A subsequent search of the vehicles turned up ammunition and a shotgun alleged to have been stolen from a Kelowna store.
Testifying in court on Dec. 13, RCMP Const. Geoff Schnyder said he was the first officer to come across the trio, who he said were hiding in a small “alcove” beneath two fallen trees.
“It was a very small place,” he said, testifying in a small witness box. “Not much bigger than where I’m standing right now.”
Hill is facing three charges, Pauls is facing 10 charges and Shreenan is facing seven charges. The three men have been in custody since their arrest.
The trial was scheduled to wrap up at the end of the week.