With his ex-wife and daughters by his side, Buddy Tavares exited the Kelowna Law courts Monday night in good spirits after being granted bail.
“I’m alive,” Tavares exclaimed to reporters. “I really got to get out of here.”
Tavares was tight lipped about his legal situation, including the details of being kicked by an RCMP officer when he was arrested Friday and the alleged domestic situation that lead to a charge of careless use of a firearm.
“You’ll be getting a statement, just not right now,” said the 51-year-old accused.
Although Tavares had not seen the video of his arrest, he had seen it in the paper.
“Sounds quite nasty,” he commented to reporters about the video.
When asked about what happened Friday that led to the arrest, including the allegation of a domestic violence investigation, Tavares and his ex-wife Trudi Tavares denied any such dispute between the two of them.
“No I don’t,” says Mr. Tavares. “We’re here together. There was no dispute.”
Both would not comment on the bail conditions that include not going on the property of the Harvest Golf Club or contacting any Harvest employees, with the exception of his ex-wife Trudi, who is an employee.
“We’re not going to discuss that right now,” says Mrs. Tavares. “There’s an ongoing investigation.”
Mr. Tavares last words to reporters regarding the allegations that led to the charge of careless use of firearm were, “You’ll know. Trust me.”
The Kelowna man was arrested by RCMP at KLO Road and Pandosy Street. The incident was caught on cell phone video and shows Tavares being kicked in the face by Cst. Georff Mantler as he lowers himself to the ground.
Cst. Mantler has now been suspended from duty, with pay, until the outcome of both a criminal investigation into use of excessive force during the arrest and an RCMP Code of Conduct investigation.
Contrary to earlier reports, Kelowna RCMP say Tavares did not have permission to be at the golf course Friday and no longer has a permit to use his shotgun to scare geese from the property.
Tavares is on disability leave after suffering a head injury during a motorcycle accident in 2010.
He’s back in court Feb. 7th.
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