A trial date for a man charged with attempting to kill policemen by running them over could be set in early June.
Kenneth Thomas Janzen, 25, had his case adjourned to June 9 on Monday in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench.
Janzen is charged with three counts of attempted murder, and single counts of criminal flight from police causing bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, hit and run, obstructing police, dangerous operation of a vehicle and criminal negligence.
Janzen, from Saskatoon, was charged on July 30, 2008, after a vehicle struck and seriously injured an Innisfail RCMP officer who was on foot after deploying a spike belt near Antler Hill just north of Innisfail on Hwy 2.
Janzen, 25, was committed to stand trial in Court of Queen’s Bench following a preliminary hearing last month.
Police said earlier a vehicle had stopped on Hwy 2 across from the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in the afternoon.
Janzen is alleged to have exited the vehicle and run in and out of traffic, attempting to stop vehicles to help him pick up garbage.
An RCMP cruiser pulled up and when the officer attempted to talk to Janzen, he allegedly jumped into his vehicle and took off.
As many as six cruisers were involved in the chase. Speeds reached a reported 140 km/h.
The suspect is alleged to have swerved to avoid a spike belt and slammed into Const. Danny Knight, who suffered a severely broken leg and a head cut.
The chase ended just south of the Olds overpass when another spike belt disabled the vehicle and it rolled several times.
Authorities allege two other officers involved in the pursuit were also intended victims.
Janzen has been in custody and undergoing psychiatric testing for some period of his confinement. The testing was to determine if he was fit to stand trial.
Defence lawyer Lorne Goddard said outside court on Monday that he adjourned the case because results of the testing haven’t been disclosed yet.
Earlier, Goddard said he has yet to determine if an application will be made to have his client declared not criminally responsible by reason of a medical disorder.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com