The man accused of a brutal assault at Okanagan Lake beach in Penticton remains in jail after a delay in his bail hearing.
Thomas Brayden Kruger-Allen is facing two charges of assault, an aggravated assault charge and a sexual assault charge related to an incident that took place on May 3 at a beach bonfire.
READ MORE: Okanagan man in critical condition after assault at beach
Defence counsel James Pennington asked for the adjournment because he has not received full transcripts from RCMP witness statements. Crown counsel said RCMP expected they would be complete by Wednesday. The matter has gone back to fix a date for the bail hearing. Details of the hearing will be under a publication ban.
Penticton RCMP reported three people were allegedly assaulted in the incident that took place near the beach fire. Bradley Eliason was identified, in an online fundraiser, as one of the most seriously injured of the three.
Eliason’s wife, Chelsea Townend, said her husband has only recently come out of a medically-induced coma after undergoing emergency brain surgery.
READ MORE: Husband remains in induced coma after alleged Okanagan beach assault
RCMP have released few details on what is alleged to have taken place the night of the assault, however, Townend claims that a group of teens had joined her husband and their neighbour at the bonfire when two men approached the youth. She alleges that the men were trying to grab one of the teens’ hats and were assaulting one of the girls. Townend said that is when her husband stepped in and was allegedly struck. She said it is believed that he then hit his head on the concrete, resulting in the severe trauma. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Townend provided an update on June 1 on the couples GoFundMe page, set up to help them pay for living costs while he is in hospital, saying she is grateful for the support they have received while her husband continues to recover at Kelowna General Hospital.
“I believe that he will make a full recovery but I also realize that this will take time,” she wrote.
Townend said in her update that Eliason will require a helmet that will cost $500 and he still has a piece of his skull cap missing. She said that will not be re-attached until they are certain his brain has stopped swelling.
“He needs the helmet to protect his head as he continues on this road to recovery. he is making progress with the physiotherapy but doesn’t have the balance or strength back,” Townend wrote.
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