A high-ranking Vancouver police officer has been found guilty of assault for an unprovoked attack on a man standing outside a Kitsilano pub last year.
A separate charge of assault with a weapon was thrown out Tuesday morning against Sgt. Darcy Taylor, a 20-year veteran with the Vancouver Police Department.
During the trial, the Crown showed surveillance video appearing to show Taylor rushing in to hit Justin Wachtel outside of the Regal Beagle Pub in Aug. 2009.
Wachtel's lawyer said his client was just texting when the officer charged him and cross-checked him in the face with his baton.
But Taylor testified his adrenaline was pumping when he was surrounded in a large brawl and the collision was accidental.
In his decision, Judge David Pendleton disagreed, saying he was satisfied that Taylor "was not exercising his police duty regarding Wachtel."
"This is not a case where he tripped on a curb, nor is it a case where he was looking over his shoulder," Pendleton said. "In this case, Sgt. Taylor was running down the sidewalk and made a decision to shove Wachtel out of the way."
Taylor is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 4, 2011.
With files from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward
