A man who was arrested in connection with a stabbing that was allegedly fueled by a dispute over ice cream will not be tried for the crime.
Prosecutor Brad Kielmann confirmed Friday that a stay of proceedings against Darren Duttenhoffer was entered in Surrey Provincial Court on April 23, the day before a trial on the matter was to get underway.
“Essentially, there was some sort of change in the story,” Kielmann said. “There was some doubt about perhaps the way in which the events transpired.
“Our charge-approval standard of the substantial likelihood of conviction was no longer met as a result of it and the public interest was no longer there as well.”
Charges were announced against a 50-year-old man after police responded to a report of an altercation at a motel in the 900-block of 160 Street on Sept. 19, 2011. A 48-year-old man had reported being stabbed by his longtime friend.
According to a search warrant filed in Surrey Provincial Court, the altercation began after one man asked another if he could have some ice cream and was told no.
A third man, who went to eat rice and gravy in the living room of the motel unit, told police he heard a bang around 6 p.m., followed by arguing between the two other men, the documents state.
When the victim reported his injuries, he said he was “bleeding heavily,” and when police arrived, they arrested one man at gunpoint. The victim was airlifted to Royal Columbian Hospital with a two-inch-deep wound to his right shoulder blade.
Kielmann said the stay of proceedings was directed after the victim “kind of changed” his statement regarding how he was injured on the evening in question. There was a mutual fight, however, “how that fight ended was unclear,” he said.