Nova Scotia man accused of murdering woman faced charges of earlier attacks

A 33-year-old Nova Scotia man accused of murdering a woman during a hit-and-run on Monday had been released on bail after facing earlier charges of attacking her.

Court records indicate that Aaron Daniel Crawley was released on June 14 by provincial court Judge Brad Sarson in connection with charges of assaulting and choking the woman, despite the Crown contesting his release.

The judge applied a number of conditions to the release, including that Crawley stay away from 30-year-old Hollie Marie Boland of Dartmouth, N.S., as well as four other people, and that he not drive a car.

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The public prosecution service said in an email that Crawley was charged with dangerous operation of a car and assault with a weapon against Boland on May 24, and had been released on an undertaking to appear in court at a future date.

Despite being ordered not to have further contact, Crawley was charged with assaulting and choking Boland on June 8, as well as with breaching his release conditions.

Crawley has been charged with first-degree murder of Boland and was briefly in court today, where the case was put over until Nov. 29.

According to a police news release, a “Good Samaritan” tried to help Boland, who was being held against her will by a man on Monday on Shrewsbury Road, in Cole Harbour, N.S. Investigators say when the Good Samaritan intervened, she and Boland were knocked to the ground by the suspect.

Police allege the driver used his car to strike the woman he had been detaining and fled the scene.

Two off-duty police officers, who were at a home nearby, rushed to the scene and provided first aid to both women.

Boland died of her injuries in hospital, while the woman who had intervened suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2023.