A man who was involved in a late night firearm incident in Tobermory last year has been sentenced.
David Hillyer of Northern Bruce Peninsula was initially charged with attempted murder, after the incident on Head Street on March 31st, 2021 when projectiles were fired at a house and then at a vehicle.
Hillyer was sentenced on August 9, 2022 in Owen Sound on the charges of utter threats to cause death, discharging a firearm recklessly, and possessing a weapon while prohibited.
He received a sentence of 1288 days (3.5 years).
The agreed statement of facts in the case say between March 30th, 2021 and March 31st, 2021, Hillyer sent a number of text messages to another person that included threats to cause death or bodily harm to him and his family.
The individual also sent text messages in response to Hillyer.
The statement of facts says Hillyer drove a black Chevrolet Trailblazer past the residence of the person he was feuding with and fired what is believed to be a pellet gun in the area. No evidence of shots fired were located on the residence. There was a vehicle in the driveway that had damage to the windshield as a result of the shot. At the time, the family was asleep.
While Hillyer drove away from the residence, the person who he had exchanged text messages with and a male passenger followed Hillyer’s vehicle.
As they came along the driver side of Hillyer’s vehicle, they observed him aiming a shotgun out the driver-side window. Hillyer shot in their direction and hit the passenger side of the vehicle and shattered the windshield.
Then he fled the scene. No one was injured.
Later that day, OPP officers located Hillyer in a vehicle and arrested them without incident.
Agreed statement of facts in court say Hillyer admitted to firing the shotgun with the intention of hitting the tires of the vehicle but denied trying to kill the man he was feuding with.
He said he didn’t know a second man was in the vehicle as that man was asleep and told police he believed the other person to have a knife or gun, and was fearful for his safety.