A man accused of a violent home invasion on Onion Lake Cree Nation elected to be tried by provincial court judge.
A lawyer for Riley Baptiste waived his attendance in Lloydminster Provincial Court Aug. 4 and a trial was set for Feb. 3, 2022. The crown is proceeding by way of indictable offence against Baptiste, the more serious charge.
Baptiste is charged with break and enter, pointing a firearm at another person, using a firearm in a careless manner, intentionally discharge a firearm in reckless manner, possession of a firearm without a license, assault with a weapon, theft over $5,000, being in a vehicle knowing it contained a firearm, and possession of a firearm for a purpose dangerous to the public.
The charges against Baptiste haven’t been proven in court.
Baptiste and Garth Swiftwolfe were charged after an incident where two people shot and kicked in a door on Onion Lake Cree Nation Jan. 31, 2021.
In April, Swiftwolfe was sentenced to eight years in prison for that incident and a separate incident in North Battleford the next day.
During Swiftwolfe’s sentencing hearing, the court heard that Swiftwolfe and another man shot the door before kicking it open. Swiftwolfe pointed a shotgun at one of the residents. The man was on the ground and while Swiftwolfe and his co-accused assaulted the man his co-accused allegedly said, “Where’s my money?”
When Onion Lake RCMP arrived they saw a hole in the back door from the shotgun blast and found blood in the house. At the time, Swiftwolfe was on a firearms prohibition.
The following day, on Feb. 1, 2021, Battlefords RCMP received a call at 8 a.m. that shots were fired at a house. Police didn’t find any evidence the house was shot at. The investigation led officers to an abandoned car where they found a 410 shotgun and spent casings.
RCMP obtained video surveillance and arrested Swiftwolfe.
