Man in crowbar attack guilty of aggravated assault, not attempted murder: Judge

Eliasson guilty of aggravated assault The judge ruled Eliasson was guilty of aggravated assault, but not attempted murder. CTV Edmonton’s Dan Grummett reports.

A judge has ruled that the man that hit a woman with a crowbar is guilty of aggravated assault and possession of an offensive weapon, but not attempted murder.

On March 7, 2017, Chelsey Schendzierlorz, who was 34 at the time, honked at a silver Pontiac Wave at an intersection near Mill Creek Ravine. Eliasson, who was out delivering newspapers, followed Schendzierlorz home and broke both of her arms with a crowbar as he yelled “die b**** die.”

Eliasson pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In an interview with police a day after the assault, Eliasson denied 17 times that he attacked Schendzierlorz.

“Here, I must advise Mr. Eliasson, I do not believe his denials of guilt,” Judge Adam Germain said Friday as he announced his decision.

Eliasson did admit to Staff Sergeant Ian Brooks he was honked at, which he called “annoying,” but maintained he didn’t follow the driver and hit her with a crowbar.

Brooks told court Eliasson’s behaviour was childish at times.

“She could be one of those Ukrainian-Russian people looking for fraud,” Eliasson told Brooks at one point.

“The entire interview reflects not an individual expressing innocence, but a person taunting police,” the judge said Friday.

The defence argued the crown did not prove the identity of the attacker beyond a reasonable doubt or that the silver car is Eliasson's, and that even if he had attacked Schendzierlorz, there is not enough proof that he attempted to kill her.

The judge said he is sure that the vehicle shown in Schendzierlorz's dash cam video is in fact Eliasson's and that he attacked her, but not that he attempted to kill her.

"Any suggestion that is was some coincidentally similar vehicle simply violates the law of common sense. Once I reach that factual conclusion, any suggestion Mr. Eliasson was not the person who assaulted Ms. Schendzierlorz is ludicrous.

“I’m suspicious that Mr. Eliasson may have intended death. I have a doubt on this and Mr. Eliasson must get the benefit of the doubt."

Eliasson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 2.

With files from CTV Edmonton's Dan Grummett