Kevin Martin
Published:October 25, 2021
-Calgary Herald
A leisurely drive through remote hunting territory northwest of Calgary ended in a frightening experience for a family when they came across a machete-wielding man “hunting humans,” an assault trial heard Monday.
Couple Morgan Allen and Grayson Short testified they were driving with their two sons along an “old logging road” near Sundre on Sept. 18, 2020, when they had a harrowing encounter with a camouflage-wearing man.
Short told Crown prosecutor Alyx Nanji he was driving along the road when he came upon a makeshift barricade.
“There was a truck parked on the other side of the barricade,” Short said.
“I was about to get out and talk to the owner of the vehicle to see why the barricade was up, but just as I looked up and taking off the seatbelt, the owner of the vehicle stepped out … dragging a machete by his side.”
The man, whom the defence had admitted is accused Owain Wyn Jones, approached his truck, Short said.
“He said, ‘What are you doing here?’” the witness said.
“I said I was doing some hunting.
“He said, ‘Yeah, I’m hunting humans.’
“I said, ‘Are you serious?’
“He said, ‘Yeah.’
“At that point, I put my window up and started to reverse out of there. He then proceeded to chase after the truck.”
Short said despite Jones pursuing his pickup, he was able to turn around and flee the area.
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Norm Kelly suggested Short misheard his client and that Jones didn’t get that close to his vehicle.
“Is it possible, when you think back, that what the man said was ‘I’m hunting too, man?’” Kelly asked.
“That was absolutely not said, 100 per cent sure,” Short replied.
The lawyer also suggested Jones never menaced the couple and their pickup.
“This man never swung the machete at the motor vehicle,” Kelly said.
“He didn’t get a chance to swing it at the vehicle,” Short said.
The trial continues in November.
