William Trevor Escott has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Carlton Leith at the end of 2020.
Just before 1 a.m. on Dec. 27, Chilliwack RCMP arrived at the 46200-block of Yale Road and found Leith suffering from serious injuries. He was taken to hospital where he died a few days later.
The stretch of Yale Road identified is between Williams and Nowell streets.
Investigators learned that the 45-year-old was involved in an altercation with Escott, 42. Escott was tracked down and arrested.
Police believe this to be an isolated incident with no connections to any recent acts of violence.
“The work is not yet finished for our investigators as they continue to complete priority tasks,” said RCMP Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) spokesperson Sgt. Frank Jang. “We believe there are witnesses of the altercation that haven’t yet come forward. We urge them to contact IHIT and speak with our investigators.”
Leith was in the news in 2011 for his role protecting a nurse from an out-of-control psychiatric patient at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. Leith intervened as a man was raining punches down on a nurse who was lying on the floor. Though the man was significantly larger than Leith, he was able to apply a choke hold and hold the man until hospital security arrived.
For his heroism, Leith received a Police Board Commendation from former Abbotsford Mayor George Peary.
Escott remains in custody, charged with aggravated assault and manslaughter. Escott is also facing charges of assault with a weapon and possessing weapon for dangerous purpose from a separate incident in Chilliwack on May 6, 2020.
He is next due in court for a scheduled bail hearing on Jan. 18.
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