Bryson McCallum was sentence Wednesday afternoon at Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

‘I wasn’t trying to kill him’: new questions raised in Prince Albert hit-and-run case

May 15, 2024 | 5:00 PM

The man responsible for committing a hit-and-run in the parking lot area of Prince Albert’s Art Hauser Centre, is claiming he did not see or intend to hit the victim.

Bryson McCallum made the comment Wednesday afternoon. As a result, his scheduled sentencing hearing at provincial court came to a halt and was adjourned to next week.

The case dates back to the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2023.

McCallum told the court he had initially gone to the parking lot to buy marijuana from the victim, but when the deal went sour, McCallum was bear sprayed in the face.

The seller and another man with him had fled on foot across the parking lot, and McCallum, after getting back in his truck, was also trying to flee.

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“He came out of nowhere,” McCallum told Judge Howarth. “And that’s when I got scared and drove off.”

According to facts read in court by Crown Prosecutor Gail Douglas, after running over the victim, McCallum sat parked for about eight seconds before driving off. It’s unclear how fast he was driving when he struck the victim.

“I wasn’t trying to kill him,” McCallum insisted.

Last February, a guilty plea was entered to a single count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

Douglas informed the judge the victim had rushed to hospital in Saskatoon and spent about two and a weeks in a coma, before waking up and being moved to observation.

The victim suffered a broken jaw and there were injuries incurred to his brain, liver and kidney. He also had broken arms and legs.

When asked about a victim impact statement, Douglas expressed her doubts he could provide one, adding his mother-in-law, who had been caring for him, may be able to.

When asked to explain the plea, defence lawyer Chris Kobban explained there had been an acceptance by his client that he was exceeding a speed greater than what should have been allowed for the parking lot and had departed from the marked lines.

The case has been adjourned to May 21 to try and address the outstanding question of whether the act was intentional or an accident.

“That is a substantial fact,” Judge Howarth commented.

McCallum, who was 19 at the time of his arrest, is not in custody and was supported in court by family.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell