Man pleads guilty after injuring a woman with his vehicle

A local man pleaded guilty Wednesday to assault with a weapon stemming from an incident two years ago when he injured a woman with his vehicle in a downtown parking lot.

Andrew Rudy had faced a number of charges, including attempted murder, in connection with a March 17, 2023 confrontation in the GFL Memorial Gardens parking lot.

Rudy, 39, was stabbed and cut with a knife by two people involved in the incident.

The court heard his girlfriend’s apartment was broken into and trashed on March 16.

Among the items stolen was Rudy’s 2013 Trek Mamba bike.

At about 10 a.m. the following day, he was driving north on Ron Francis Way when he spotted two men and a woman with what appeared to be his stolen bicycle.

They were walking south on the west side of the street, the Crown and defence told Superior Court Justice Edward Gareau in an agreed statement of facts.

He made an abrupt turn, parked his car and confronted the trio, who were also pulling a wagon that he believed contained other property taken from the apartment.

Rudy punched one of the men in the face in an attempt to retrieve the bike.

During the struggle, the accused and the woman became embroiled in a confrontation.

She pulled a knife and stabbed him in the side when he was trying see what was in the wagon.

“He called 911, brandished his own knife and approached the group again,” assistant Crown attorney Trent Wilson said.

The trio took off, continuing to walk south on the street and then through the Gardens parking lot.

Rudy returned to his vehicle, followed them and then turned in the wrong direction onto Bay Street.

When he spotted them, he drove over the curb into the parking lot at a high rate of speed in an attempt to cut off their escape, Wilson told the court.

His vehicle “violently” struck a yellow concrete pillar, apparently “slamming” the woman, “who was behind the pillar, into the concrete wall.”

The two men with her then became involved in an altercation with Rudy and one of them cut his forehead with a knife.

Rudy ran onto Bay Street where he collapsed on the road.

The woman refused any treatment when paramedics arrived at the scene.

She testified at the accused’s preliminary hearing that she suffered injuries to her knee and back, Wilson told the court.

The woman indicated she would provide police with photos of her injuries but never did.

In October 2024, she pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm for stabbing Rudy.

She received a three-month conditional sentence which she served in the community, plus 12 months probation.

Following Rudy’s guilty plea on Wednesday, the Crown and defence lawyer Bruce Willson outlined their sentencing positions.

The prosecutor described what occurred as a “dangerous, dangerous situation” after Rudy drove into the concrete pillar that slammed against the woman.

“She’s on the hood, a very scary, dangerous situation” in a heavily-travelled area of the city in broad daylight, Wilson said.

The accused was revved up, angry and things went “from bad to worse.”

Noting Rudy’s positive pre-sentence report, lack of a criminal record and guilty plea, the prosecutor said he’s remorseful for what happened.

“But if things had been a little bit different, all of a sudden he would be facing a murder charge,” he told Gareau. “That didn’t happen and we’re thankful for that.”

An 18-month to two-year jail sentence wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for this offence, he suggested.

The defence called for a six-month conditional sentence, which his client, who has a good job, would serve in the community.

Rudy “is a good guy trying to get his bike back and is stabbed,” Willson told the judge, describing this as “a highly exceptional case.”

He was trying to stop the individuals from leaving and was reckless, the defence said.

“He was angry. There is no question about that.”

But this was “not a pay back thing.”

He called 911 after he was stabbed, Willson said, adding Rudy had to get 28 stitches to close the wound.

When asked if he wanted to say anything, Rudy told the judge “I have nothing to add.”

Gareau reserved his decision.

A date for sentencing will be set on Aug. 20.