The man allegedly at the centre of a violent armed home invasion, shooting and police standoff in Penticton, B.C., was denied bail by a provincial court judge on Tuesday.
Josef Pavlik, 37, appeared in Penticton provincial court via video from the Okanagan Correctional Centre alongside his alleged accomplice, 32-year-old Jesse Mason.
Judge Michelle Daneliuk denied Pavlik’s bail application while Mason will be released from custody for a second time under strict conditions.
Mason must abide by a 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. curfew, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, have no contact with the alleged victims and accomplices and not possess any firearms or weapons.
Mason was previously granted bail on Oct. 22 but allegedly breached conditions shortly after he was released.
The judge’s reasons for her decision and the evidence revealed at the bail hearing cannot be reported due to a standard publication ban.
A Penticton couple shared their harrowing ordeal with Global News shortly after the incident occurred on Oct. 2.
Michael Paseska and Sarah Edwards said they were awakened around 11 a.m., in their Winnipeg Street home by a masked man holding a gun.
“He was yelling at me, ‘where’s the money, where’s the money?’” Paseska said at the time.
In response, Paseska said “I don’t know what stuff you want, take anything you want. Just don’t kill me.
“And that moment, I started standing up out of the bed and he took a shot. I thought he hit me in the head. (Sarah) was screaming, so I started pushing her off the bed.”
Edwards, who is pregnant, said she rolled out of bed and tried to hide in a closet, terrified for her life.
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Their home, according to Paseska, was looted by several other men in red bandanas while the man fired gunshots inside the home and shouted out orders.
Paseska said he was also pistol whipped in the head and the firearm discharged, grazing his forehead. He suffered non-life threatening injuries in the ordeal.
Paseska said he believes he was targeted for evicting a tenant who didn’t pay rent.
The assailants allegedly fled to a home on Maple Street where police surrounded the townhome and a standoff ensued for several hours.
Dozens of heavily armed police officers descended on the neighbourhood close to a school and daycare and an armoured vehicle was dispatched to the scene.
Several individuals were eventually arrested.
Pavlik and Mason were charged with break and enter to commit an offence while Pavlik faces additional charges of robbery with a restricted firearm, assault with a weapon and uttering threats.
The pair will make their next court appearance on Dec. 4.
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