A 31-year-old Edmonton man has received a three-and-a-half-year sentence for attacking a woman with a metal bar in a road rage incident in 2017.
Jared Matthew Eliasson was sentenced for aggravated assault in an Edmonton courtroom on Thursday morning. With credit for time served, he has two years less a day remaining on his sentence, followed by three years’ probation.
In March 2017, Eliasson hit Chelsey Schendzielorz with a metal rod, breaking both of her arms.
Eliasson was out delivering newspapers when Schendzielorz pulled up behind the man’s vehicle. She honked and Eliasson proceeded to follow her down the block to her home, where she was attacked outside her vehicle.
In April, Eliasson was found guilty of three charges, including aggravated assault. A pre-sentence report found he was not remorseful for the crime.
Crown prosecutor Mark van Manen was seeking a three-and-a-half year sentence, saying the attack “was not a spontaneous act of violence.”
“He planned what he would do. At no time did he decide to turn around and continue on with his paper route,” van Manen said in court Wednesday.
Van Manen went on to say that Eliasson was “motivated by road rage, revenge and opportunity.”
Defence lawyer Zack Elias had asked for a sentence of between 18 and 24 months.
“It’s my position that denunciation and deterrence has already been satisfied by the time already served in custody,” Elias said.
“Further jail will derail any rehabilitation steps that he’s taken.”
Eliasson also received a six-month sentence for his mischief and possession of a dangerous weapon convictions. That sentence will be served concurrently with his aggravated assault sentence, the judge decided.
However, on Dec. 4, Eliasson filed an appeal of his aggravated assault, possession of a dangerous weapon and mischief convictions. On Thursday morning, Eliasson was granted bail pending appeal of his convictions.
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