After two decades, Curtis Dagenais, the perpetrator of a heinous crime that led to the death of two Saskatchewan RCMP officers and the injury of another, is set to appear in court in Saskatoon later this month. The reason for this court appearance revolves around Dagenais’s truck.
The 1986 blue GMC 1500, the same vehicle Dagenais was in when the tragic incident occurred on July 6, 2006, is currently stored at the RCMP headquarters in Regina. The Crown is seeking its forfeiture and destruction, while Dagenais is contesting this decision.
The fatal event took place in Spiritwood, approximately 147 kilometers north of Saskatoon, where three RCMP constables attempted to arrest Dagenais. A chase ensued, during which Dagenais’s truck was cornered by the constables’ vehicle, resulting in a confrontation that led to the fatal shooting of Constables Marc Bourdages and Robin Cameron, as well as the injury of Constable Michelle Knopp.
Dagenais was subsequently convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in 2009. Despite his appeals, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal upheld his convictions in 2012.
Why is the truck issue being addressed now?
The delay in applying for the truck’s forfeiture was questioned in court, with Crown prosecutor Scott Bartlett acknowledging it had been overlooked. Bartlett, who handled the original trial in 2009, initiated the forfeiture application in 2021, which was initially heard by Justice Gerald Allbright.
(Bartlett clarified that he currently works under fee-for-service contracts as an agent for the Attorney General, no longer being employed full-time by public prosecutions.)
During the 2021 hearing, Dagenais expressed his opposition to the truck’s destruction, citing potential evidence in the form of bullet holes that could support his innocence claims. He had sought assistance from Innocence Canada, an organization advocating for wrongfully convicted individuals, which was considering his case.
Justice Allbright agreed to extend the proceedings to allow Dagenais more time with Innocence Canada. However, if no progress was made by a specified date, Justice Allbright indicated that the forfeiture order sought by the Crown could be granted.
Renewed Application by the Crown
In May of this year, the Crown revived the application, leading to a hearing before Justice Daryl Labach in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench on June 25. Dagenais, appearing via video conference from Saskatchewan Penitentiary, reiterated his opposition to the forfeiture, emphasizing the importance of preserving the truck for further examination.
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