A Coalmont man has been charged in connection with a shooting near the village on the weekend. He made his first appearance in Penticton court, August 28.
Warren Spence, 58, is charged with discharging a firearm with the intent to wound, maim or disfigure Kerry Bettsworth, a hired hand on an area ranch.
In a bizarre twist, a source at the scene reported Spence claimed he acted in self-defence, as Bettsworth was trying to run him over with his vehicle.
Spence was injured in a 2015 attack in Coalmont when Rolly Giroux, who was later convicted of assault with a weapon, drove his car into a phone both while Spence was making a call.
Related: Man found guilty in bizarre assault banished from Coalmont for a year
RCMP Sergeant Rob Hughes said charges against Bettsworth are still being considered but he could not comment further on the ongoing investigation.
Events unfolded Aug. 24, when a 911 caller summoned police, ambulance and air ambulance to a ranch approximately 5 km from Coalmont, about 5:40 p.m.
Bettsworth, 63, was shot in the upper right bicep and was reported to be in stable condition Sunday, after undergoing several surgeries.
At that time Hughes said witnesses indicated alcohol could have been a factor, and the two men were known to each other and had a working relationship.
A vehicle collision appeared to have preceded the shooting. While both vehicles sustained significant front end damage, one also had a shattered back passenger side window.
Spence was next to appear in court Sept. 4.
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