In Saskatoon, Curtis Dagenais, the perpetrator of a tragic incident 20 years ago that resulted in the death of two Saskatchewan RCMP officers and the injury of another, faces a new court hearing. The reason behind this court appearance pertains to his possession of a 1986 blue GMC 1500 truck, currently stored at the RCMP headquarters in Regina. The Crown is seeking to have the truck forfeited and destroyed, but Dagenais is contesting this decision.
The events leading to this legal battle date back to July 6, 2006, when Dagenais, evading arrest in Spiritwood, engaged in a pursuit with three RCMP constables. During the chase, Dagenais’s truck was cornered by the officers’ vehicle, resulting in a fatal encounter where Dagenais shot and killed two officers and injured another.
Following a 2009 conviction on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, Dagenais appealed the verdict, which was subsequently upheld in 2012 by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. Fast forward to the present, the issue at hand surrounds the delayed application for the forfeiture of Dagenais’s truck, which was brought to light during a recent court hearing.
During the proceedings, Dagenais expressed his opposition to the forfeiture, citing the potential evidentiary value of the bullet-riddled truck in proving his innocence. Despite seeking assistance from Innocence Canada, an organization dedicated to wrongful conviction cases, Dagenais faced uncertainties regarding the organization’s involvement in his defense.
The recent court hearing, presided over by Justice Daryl Labach, saw Dagenais representing himself while the Crown, led by prosecutor Scott Bartlett, renewed its application for the truck’s forfeiture. Labach granted Dagenais an additional adjournment to secure legal representation, acknowledging the potential impact on any future appeal processes.
As the legal battle continues, the fate of the truck remains uncertain, with the forfeiture hearing scheduled for August 31.