Axe assailant sentenced to five years

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This article was published 07/07/2023 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Darian Page, 50, is scheduled to spend the next three-and-a-half years behind bars for aggravated assault, having admitted to attacking his wheelchair-assisted friend with an axe in the fall of 2020.

Judge Scott Abel handed down this five-year sentence in the Court of King’s Bench on Thursday, subtracting 572 days of time-in-custody credit that Page has accumulated since his arrest.

During Thursday’s sentencing, Abel briefly went over the facts of the case, telling the court that Page was living with Keith Kreutzer at his Brandon residence on Nov. 16, 2020 when a fight broke out between the two.

While Page alleges Kreutzer struck him first, Abel said Page’s response was unwarranted.

During a previous court appearance, Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup detailed the extent of Page’s attack on Kreutzer, who had been using a wheelchair since he survived a serious automobile accident in 1998.

“Mr. Kreutzer had dents in his scalp. He had hemorrhaging in his brain,” Lonstrup said on June 22. “He had a fractured nasal bone and jaw bone. And a fracture in his spine not attributable to his older injuries.”

Lonstrup also mentioned that Page struck Kreutzer at least once in the leg with an axe near his tibia.

This sheer level of violence played a major part in Abel accepting Lonstrup’s recommendation for a five-year sentence for Page.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Abel made specific reference to section 718.04 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which states that “the court shall give primary consideration to the objectives of denunciation and deterrence” in cases involving the abuse of a “vulnerable” person.

“While the victim may have hit the offender first … it was an attack on a vulnerable person with a weapon, with little opportunity for the victim to defend themself,” the judge said on Thursday.

“The gravity of the offence is high given the wounds and injuries caused to the victim and the circumstances in which the injuries were caused.”

In terms of mitigating factors in his sentencing, Abel mentioned that Page’s criminal record before November 2020 was negligible and his assault on Kreutzer was largely being fuelled by worsening mental health issues and addiction to hard drugs like methamphetamine.

A psychiatric assessment done in 2020 also pointed to Page suffering from a “psychotic disorder,” although he has been receiving treatment for this illness in Headingley Correctional Centre since his arrest.

Abel also mentioned that Page has demonstrated significant remorse for his assault on Kreutzer and regrets leaving the premises following the incident.

While Kreutzer survived this attack, he later died from smoke inhalation after his residence caught fire the very same day.

Lonstrup made it clear in court that Page is not being charged with murdering Kreutzer, since there was no strong evidence to suggest that he or anyone else lit the place on fire.

However, Abel noted that Page still harbors the guilt of how he treated Kreutzer, which will likely follow him around even after he’s released from prison.

“Mr. Page, I wish you well with respect to your sentence,” Abel said, addressing the assailant directly during his in-person court appearance.

“I hope that you continue your long journey towards healing with respect to the issues that you suffer from as well.”

Members of Kreutzer’s family attended Page’s sentencing on Thursday and were visibly emotional throughout the proceedings.

While not satisfied with the length of the sentence, Kreutzer’s family told the Sun afterwards that they were at least relieved that this matter can finally be put to rest.

According to an obituary published in the Sun on Nov. 28, 2020, Kreutzer was passionate about playing hockey as a young boy and continued to be an avid fan of the sport throughout his life.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury during that 1998 car accident, Kreutzer spent several years in a rehabilitation hospital and transitional housing in Winnipeg before moving back to Brandon.

During his time in the Wheat City, Kreutzer visited different schools in the region to share his experience living as a disabled person and to warn about the dangers of impaired driving.

“He had a great sense of humour, mischievousness and was uninhibited,” his obituary read. “He is deeply loved and missed by his family.”

Kreutzer was 46 years old at the time of his death.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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