A Vancouver man who pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and assaulting a deputy sheriff has been given a conditional sentence of 18 months and probation.
Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Gregory Rideout has heard Jesse Rene Attig in August 2021 walked up behind a man whose car was parked on East 10th Avenue and cut his throat and then the back of his head before fleeing.
The wound was not deep and the victim received several sutures at a hospital.
In August, Rideout watched a surveillance video of the offence, although it was from a distance and the events were not clear. Still, the footage did show Attig running from the scene.
Police caught Attig after a cyclist followed him. No knife was found, the court heard.
“It could have been worse,” Rideout told Attig at the Oct. 6 sentencing. “He could have bled out and died.”
“There appeared to be no motivation for it,” Crown lawyer Phillip Sebellin said earlier.
Attig had been charged with attempted murder in the case but he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
The second plea came in connection with Attig having elbowed a deputy sheriff.
“He threw an elbow at a deputy sheriff and hit his arm and chest instead of his face,” Sebellin said. “It was unprovoked. It was a full-power elbow strike.”
Sebellin was looking for two to three years’ jail for the aggravated assault with 30 days to be served concurrently for the sheriff incident.
The sentence for the sheriff assault was one day in custody considered served by his court appearance and time already served.
Rideout heard Attig has had addiction issues but has progressed well in treatment.
The judge asked Attig what he sees in his future.
“I would like to essentially work with addicts and start with people who have just come off the streets and want to change their lives,” Attig said.
“You appear to have insight into what has happened,” Rideout said.
