WINNIPEG — Police say a Winnipeg woman is lucky to be alive after her boyfriend allegedly slammed her side of the vehicle into a parked semi.
Christopher Rutherford, 31, goes by the name “CJ”, was ordered by a judge on Nov 13 to have no contact with his girlfriend, 22-year-old Shaylene Wilson after being convicted of assaulting her on four separate occasions.
“No one’s going to understand why I let him back into my life after I charged him previously,” said Wilson, sitting down and talking to Global News Monday. “You don’t ever know how quickly things can progress. It doesn’t make sense, there’s pictures of us at the bar two hours prior and we’re happy.”
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On Jan 1 the two were partying together at Nectar nightclub on Portage Avenue when they got into an argument.
Police say Rutherford forced Wilson into her car, drove erratically for an hour while assaulting her then slammed her side of the car into a parked semi.
“It is alleged that he intentionally drove into a parked or a stationary semi trailer,” Winnipeg Police Constable Jason Michalyshen said.
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Rutherford is charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and uttering threats, among 14 charges in total.
Hours after the crash the victim wrote on her Facebook:
I was the stupid girl who took her abuser back…Cj and I were leaving the bar fighting last night, I refused to leave with him and he picked me up and put me into my car. Thank god I put on my seat belt.
Police say the seatbelt saved her life. Wilson is sharing her story in hopes others in the same situation will learn from her mistakes.
“Victim Services does reach out, they do try and help you,” said Wilson. “The protection orders are there for a reason, they did approach me and asked if I was talking to him and I lied and look where it got me.”
Wilson is sore and has scrapes and bruises but is at home with her mother and doing well.
Rutherford remains in custody and will make his first court appearance Tuesday.
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