UPDATED: Judge orders psychiatric assessment of accused bowman
Marvin Antoniuk Jr. — the valley man accused of attempting to murder his father with an arrow — has been remanded in custody for a psychological assessment.
Antoniuk appeared briefly Tuesday before Duncan court Judge Wayne Smith who granted the forensic assessment request from Antoniuk’s lawyer, Jeffrey Arndt, a move agreed to by Crown counsel.
The assessment in Port Coquitlam will take about five weeks, and will determine if Antoniuk, 48, is fit to stand trial.
The accused was booked to be back in Duncan court on April 9.
Antoniuk, dressed in a grey sweatshirt, looked haggard and expressionless standing in the witness box as Arndt told Judge Smith why the assessment is needed.
“There’s been a history of dissociative conduct,” he said.
Arndt noted the accused’s family has also indicated Antoniuk’s condition needs investigating before court hears details of how and why Marvin Antoniuk Sr. was hit in the chest with an arrow Jan. 27 at the family’s home at 1658 Maple Bay Rd.
The RCMP said Monday Antoniuk Sr., in his 70s, is recovering in a Victoria hospital after being admitted in critical condition.
Antoniuk Jr. was arrested on scene Jan. 27 when he’s alleged to have wounded his father at about 7 p.m. with a non-hunting, target arrow fired from a compound bow, officials say.
Exactly what happened at the Antoniuks’ place remains foggy until evidence is presented in court, Arndt explained to the News Leader Pictorial.
“Alcohol was involved, no question,” Arndt told the NLP.
Questions could centre on how and when the suspect suffered a broken nose, black eyes, and two lost teeth on the night in question.
Crown counsel, Brad Tomlin, said it does not appear the suspect was beaten by his father.
It was unknown by press time Tuesday if Antoniuk Sr. was well enough to give a statement to police.
Some answers may also come from a second potential weapon — a bloody metal implement found by police at the scene, Arndt indicated.
“That’s the real concern here,” he said of if the beating happened before or after Antoniuk Sr. was wounded, then pulled the arrow from his chest.
“Antoniuk Jr. was seriously beaten by someone. When and how that happened is unknown,” he said, describing that possible second weapon as “a wrench or pry bar with a socket at the end, with blood on the socket end of it.
“Whose blood, we don’t know yet. It’s the kind of item that would cause the injuries to Marvin Jr.’s face,” Arndt said.
“It can only be described as very unusual, bordering on bizarre, circumstances.”
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