B.C. Provincial Court Judge S. Mulder read out his decision after a lengthy bail hearing on Jan. 10 for a Williams Lake man appearing on multiple charges.
Travis Storoschuk, 36, was applying for release from custody, after having been arrested on Nov. 15, 2024 after eluding RCMP for days. A day-long operation and closure of the street around his previous residence on Western Avenue failed initially to bring him into custody.
"Mr. Storoschuk comes before the court with no prior record but an exceptional number of outstanding charges," said Mulder, in his decision.
At the hearing, Storoschuk appeared via a video feed from the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, seated in bright orange prison garb. Court heard how the accused man had proposed a release plan which included an electronic monitoring device in order to track his whereabouts and his parents had agreed to pay the $1,000 cash bail for his release.
Both Storoschuk's lawyer J. Maxwell and Crown counsel C. Hauser presented arguments for and against his release.
While Mulder admitted the cash bail and electronic monitoring are a step up from previous releases of the accused, in the end his decision was for Storoschuk to remain in custody.
Mulder summarized his reasons in an almost 15-minute reading of his decision.
The charge of having a rifle which he did not have a license for, allegations of violence against his partner, his actions in resisting arrest and allegedly assaulting a police constable, and eluding police for two days afterwards lead Mulder to decide not to release Storoschuk who he concludes "does pose a significant threat to the public should he be released."
"His behaviour has become increasingly more chaotic and problematic since the initial police interaction in April," said Mulder, noting there did not seem to be a plan to address the source of his erratic behaviour.
He also said while electronic monitoring proposed by the defence could potentially help make police aware of noncompliance and assist in relocating Storoschuk were he to fail to appear or comply, it is not preventative.
"I am not convinced electronic monitoring will be sufficient to prevent similar criminal offences," he said.
"It is a remarkable transformation at 35-years-old to progress from no criminal history to the number of charges before the court today. No explanation was offered by counsel for the sudden stark change in Mr. Storoschuk," said Mulder.
He suggested there may be some indication of mental health issues, due to a Roger's order in place, which requires the accused to seek treatment for mental illness or substance abuse. Mulder noted there was no mention by Storoschuk or his lawyer of any plan for treatment to address any underlying issues.
"Something clearly changed for Mr. Storoschuk in the last year," said Mulder.
Storoschuk will remain in custody for the time being as he makes his way through the courts to face the current charges.
Mulder summarized the incidents and files before the court before giving the reasons for his decision.
Due to the number and nature of the charges against Storoschuk, he was under a "reverse onus" to convince the judge he could be released from custody prior to an arraignment. Even under a reverse onus, "bail should not be denied when sufficient measures can be put in place to ensure the safety of the public" explained Mulder in his decision. This is because an accused person is always presumed innocent and therefore all accused persons are not held in custody until their charges are dealt with.
Both the Crown and Storoschuk's own defence presented cases to the court, for and against Storoschuk's release back into the community. The Crown argued Storoschuk's non compliance of conditions on his releases to date puts both the general public and the complainants in the allegations he faces, at risk.
Mulder had rejected a man brought forward to act as a "surety" for the accused man. After hearing testimony from the proposed surety, a man Storoschuk knew only as the uncle of his friend, Mulder said he would not allow the man as a surety. There were a number of factors laid out which rendered the man unsuitable to take on the responsibility, according to Mulder, including a signigicant criminal record and not being able to ensure Storoschuk would make court appearances, as he lives outside of town and does not have a vehicle. The man himself had been late for court and needed to be picked up to appear for the hearing. Mulder also expressed significant concern the man did not fully understand what he would be committing to.
Storoschuk's next court date will be an arraignment on Jan. 22, 2025, at which time all of the charges against him will be read in court and he will have the chance to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty for the charges.
The case has garnered extensive public attention, and resulted in the city of Williams Lake sending a letter to Crown Counsel asking for Storoschuk to be denied bail. A response letter from the B.C. Prosecution Service which provided some response and background said: "political, personal and private considerations must not affect the manner in which prosecutors or prosecutions proceed."