WESTLOCK – A man who allegedly pointed a firearm at a person and made death threats wants his bail conditions amended.
Defence lawyer Adam Chadi appeared by Webex in Westlock Court of Justice on Nov. 27 and asked that Rick Atzler’s release conditions be amended to allow him to have contact his fiancé. Under current court-ordered release conditions he is banned from contacting her.
Crown prosecutor Eric Mosley told Justice Gordon Putnam that he doesn’t have “sufficient feedback” to agree to the no-contact order being removed so the matter was adjourned to Dec. 4.
Atzler, who appeared in court in person, was granted bail by consent of the Crown prosecutor in St Albert Court of Justice in October. He was placed on 24-hour house arrest with the standard emergent exceptions. He is residing at his mother’s home in Fawcett.
The 31-year-old was the subject of an intensive police search following an incident on Sept. 19. Westlock RCMP had responded to the call immediately but Atzler fled before officers could arrive on scene at the Westlock County property, say RCMP.
Police then released Atzler’s photo and issued an alert saying he was considered armed and dangerous.
A couple of weeks later, on Oct. 3, Westlock RCMP using a drone, and with help from Redwater RCMP and K Division Police Dog Services, located and arrested Atzler about 60 kilometres from Westlock at a home in the Hamlet of Opal.
