KELOWNA — It was a wild, high speed pursuit and carjacking on Westside Road in July of 2012 where a civilian and police were shot at.
READ MORE: Witness at Kelowna trial relives the day he was shot at several times
Now two and a half years later, the judge handed down the verdict Friday in the attempted murder trial of Michael Edward Ellis who was accused of firing some of those shots.
Ellis, 41, was facing 22 charges including five counts of attempted murder. He was acquitted of all attempted murder charges, but guilty of the remaining 17 offences, including various weapons charges and dangerous driving.
“This was a startling, frightening and highly unusual string of events where lives were placed at great peril,” says Mr. Justice Josephson. “Mr. Ellis was a full and willing participant in this mad, misguided and extremely dangerous scheme to avoid detention by police.”
Ellis’ crime partner that day, Shawn Adam Wysinski, told the court it was him, not Ellis, who fired the shots. Wysynski was sentenced in October 2014, to 9 years in a federal institution, minus 39 months credit for time served, after pleading guilty to armed robbery charges.
READ MORE: Kelowna convict tries to take the blame for his alleged crime partner
The trial started in September of 2014 and took 24 days of court time. The case has been adjourned until a sentencing hearing is scheduled. The Crown is expected to make an application that Ellis be sentenced as a dangerous offender and sent to prison indefinitely.
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