Veteran fire captain tells court he is ‘lucky to be alive’ after attack

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This article was published 27/06/2016 (2859 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A veteran Winnipeg fire captain says he’s lucky to be alive following a violent, unprovoked attack while on a call battling a blaze.

Details of the March 2013 incident emerged publicly for the first time during an emotional sentencing hearing on Tuesday. John Cheater was struck by a car that blew through several barricades, drove over fire hoses and then accelerated towards him. Cheater, 55, was flung onto the hood as the motorist turned around and tried to speed away. He went flying into a snowbank, suffering a concussion and serious hip injury that lingers to this day.

“Never did I imagine this was the way I would end up injured while attending a fire call,” Cheater told court while reading his victim impact statement. “I consider myself lucky I am still alive.”

Tyler Teather, 23, has pleaded guilty to driving dangerously causing bodily harm and failing to stop at the scene of an accident. The Crown is seeking a six-month jail sentence for Teather. He has no prior criminal record and plenty of family and community support, as demonstrated by numerous positive reference letters filed on his behalf.

Defence lawyer Sheldon Pinx said his client was suffering from untreated anxiety disorder at the time which contributed to his bizarre actions when confronted by Cheater at the scene. He is asking for no custody.

“It sounds like he was having a panic attack,” Pinx told court on Tuesday.

“How did the panic attack get him through the pylons, over the hoses and make him stop in front of the truck?” asked Queens Bench Justice Vic Toews. Pinx suggested his client “made a wrong turn.”

“Very quickly the scene unfolded in front of him,” said Pinx. “There’s a unique mitigating circumstance in this case.”

“If this is true it’s astounding to me,” Toews replied. He has reserved his sentencing decision until later in the summer.

Teather had been driving home in the early-morning hours when he turned on to Berry Street, where fire crews were battling a pole fire. The area had been taped off because there were concerns about live power lines.

Teather ignored them, continuing on his way until coming up against Cheater’s fire truck. Cheater and his colleagues began yelling at Teather — who promptly accelerated and struck the captain while attempting do a u-turn and flee the scene.

“He was going back and forth with the fire captain on his hood,” Crown attorney Adam Bergen told court.

Cheater said he was most concerned about striking one of the downed wires, which could have led to electrocution. He described continuing to have nightmares about the incident and what could have been.

“After the assault I was feeling angry, confused and, quite honestly for lack of a better term, pissed off,” said Cheater. “Mr. Teather’s lack of remorse concerns me.”

Cheater also took aim at Pinx, saying the lawyer has tried to suggest he was responsible for setting Teather off that night. Cheater admits raising his voice and using profanity at the scene when initially confronting the young motorist.

“The only concern I had for Mr. Teather was for his safety and the safety of my crew,” said Cheater.

Teather did get away but was arrested about three hours later after police traced his licence plate. He initially denied hitting the fire captain, but later confessed. The Crown noted on Tuesday the fact he left the scene makes it impossible to determine if he was impaired at the time.

Cheater told Teather “we both know where you were that night and what you were doing” but didn’t elaborate further in his victim impact statement.

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