Accused in 2nd-degree murder trial says he was scared — not angry — on night of 2014 Kelowna killing

An Okanagan man accused of a 2014 murder in Kelowna took the stand again on Wednesday.

Steven Pirko is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of Chris Ausman in January 2014.

Pirko is accused of killing Ausman with a hammer during a street fight along Rutland Road and Highway 33.

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This week, Pirko testified that he was intoxicated on the night Ausman died.

On Wednesday, the Crown questioned Pirko over how intoxicated he was on the night of the killing. The Crown also touched on whether Pirko was angry on that night.

Pirko denied being angry, telling the court: “I wasn’t angry, I was scared.”

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WATCH (June 4, 2019): Second-degree murder trial in Kelowna continues with the accused on the stand

1:32 Second-degree murder trial in Kelowna continues with the accused on the stand

On Monday, the trial entered its sixth week, with Pirko taking the stand.

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Court heard that during the early hours of Jan. 25, 2014, Pirko and a friend, Elrich Dyck, were walking along Highway 33 to the 7-Eleven store to grab some late-night food.

Pirko said that as they walked along Highway 33, Dyck and another man walking across the street started yelling at each other. Pirko testified that the next thing he knew, the man — Ausman — was running across the road, and a fight between Ausman and Dyck started.

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WATCH (May 17, 2019): Officer cross-examined in Kelowna second degree murder trial

1:17 Officer cross-examined in Kelowna second degree murder trial

Pirko said he stood back and watched the two fight. When Ausman started winning the fight, Pirko said Dyck started yelling for help.

Pirko said he grabbed a seven-inch hammer he had in his knapsack and hit Ausman twice in the legs. When that didn’t work, Pirko testified that he then used the hammer to hit Ausman in the head twice.

The defence is arguing that Pirko never intended to kill Ausman and that he was merely coming to the aid of his friend yelling for help.

The trial continues.

—With files from Klaudia Van Emmerik