INSIDE: Local teachers association won’t endorse candidates Pg. 3 T U E S D A Y
March 26, 2013
boxer makes successful return 14 Local N E W S ,
SPORTS,
WEATHER
&
E N T E R T A I N M E N T chilliwacktimes.com
Drank from a toilet
Submitted photo
Michael Halliday of Abbotsford has formed the B.C. Excalibur Party and will run in Chilliwack on May 14.
Investigators cut off water to man suspected of murdering Robert Planje
Excalibur joins the election
BY TYLER OLSEN tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com
BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
W
ing to Jenna’s mother, Leslie Desrochers, and grandmother, Anne Marie Desrochers. The pit bull’s owner—who witnessed much of the attack—told the Desrochers that tiny Honey drew the dog’s attention away from Jenna and onto itself during the attack. The pit bull released Jenna and
ith water to a jail cell fountain cut off, a thirsty Steven Kenneth Frederickson resorted to drinking out of a toilet in the hours after his arrest for the suspected murder of his roommate. Defence lawyer Ken Beatch played video of his client drinking from the toilet during a voir dire being held to determine whether statements made by Frederickson are admissible in his ongoing trial for the December 2010 murder of Robert-Jan Planje. Shortly after he was seen drinking from the toilet, Frederickson appeared to lose consciousness. He was subsequently taken by ambulance to Chilliwack General Hospital, where his condition improved after being given intravenous fluids and Benadryl for a rash. Frederickson had previously asked a guard at the jail to turn the water back on, only to be told it was broken. But Cpl. Michael Pacholuk of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team told the court Friday that he had actually ordered the water turned off because Frederickson appeared to have washed his hands in his jail cell’s toilet.
See ATTACK, Page 10
See PLANJE, Page 4
C
hilliwack may not be sixthcentury Britain but the provincial electoral district now has a touch of Arthurian drama to call its own. Michael Halliday of Abbotsford has formed a new political party, the British Columbia Excalibur Party, and will run in Chilliwack on May 14. “ O u r motto is the SCAN FOR WEBSITE land and the people and the government are one and things should be done that way,” Halliday told theTimes Monday. Halliday said the Excalibur Party follows the “knightly ideals” of truth, honour and justice as forged under King Arthur, according to the legend. He said under a political party that adhered to those three ideals, “you wouldn’t have had the BC Rail fiasco, the HST fiasco, the buying of ethnic votes, et cetera. “It would be impossible because it would be against the nature of the party.” See ELECTION, Page 7
Eight-year-old Jenna is recuperating at home after being injured in a pit-bull attack last week.
Tyler Olsen/TIMES
Pint-sized hero helps save girl during pit-bull attack BY TYLER OLSEN tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com
A
n eight-year-old Chilliwack girl is recovering at home after sustaining serious injuries in a pit-bull attack last week. Jenna, a Grade 3 Strathcona elementary student, was looking for bunnies outside her grandparents’
Rosedale home last Tuesday when a neighbour’s pit bull escaped its enclosure. The dog attacked Jenna, taking her down at the knees and then clamping down on the young girl’s face. Jenna suffered serious facial injuries and hundreds of stitches. But it could have been much worse if not for the actions of a four-year-old Chihuahua named Honey, accord-
Premium Pre-Owned Vehicles at Live Market Pricing
8645 Young Street, Chilliwack 604-792-5151 www.jadamandsons.com
06198229
Plumbing Service Department SHOP OUR ENTIRE PREOWNED INVENTORY NOW WITH
DL 5952
oconnordodgechrysler.com
Price 60¢