A high-ranking Vancouver police officer took the stand in his own assault trial Wednesday, and apologized for an unprovoked attack on a man standing outside a bar.
Sgt. Darcy Taylor, a 20-year veteran with the Vancouver Police Department, was charged with assault with a weapon after what happened when he responded to a complaint at the Regal Beagle pub on Broadway last year.
Crown counsel has presented surveillance video that appears to show Taylor rushing in from metres away to hit Justin Wachtel, who then falls to the ground.
Taylor told Vancouver provincial court Wednesday that he was surrounded in a huge brawl. He says his adrenaline was pumping and he had tunnel vision before he collided with Wachtel by accident.
"I can see that Mr. Wachtel was doing nothing wrong. I was reacting. I was not in my best professional conduct. For that, I regret my actions and I'm sorry for what happened to Mr. Wachtel," Taylor said.
Crown prosecutor Jay Fogel says that's not the only apology the police officer has offered.
"He provided an apology to both Mr. Wachtel, the complainant, as well as to the Vancouver Police Department and the City of Vancouver for his actions," he said.
Both the Crown and Taylor's lawyer have agreed that Taylor only pushed Wachtel with his baton.
But Wachtel's lawyer, Jason Tarnow, says that agreement doesn't do justice to the severity of the incident.
"We've all seen the video: Mr. Wachtel was doing nothing but texting on his phone when Sgt. Taylor ran at him, full steam ahead, and cross-checked him in the face with his baton," Tarnow said.
"He's lost quite a bit of trust and faith in our police services."
A judge is now deliberating on a verdict in the trial.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward
