—
ee eens

January 10, 1992 72 pages

The Cassiar Connector

Classifieds 986-6222

Office. Editorial 985-2131

Pl

Test drive the new

902 VW EuroVan

Display Adveriising 980-0511

NEWS ‘photo Mike Wakotleld

THE $115-million Cassiar Connector is set to open to traffic this Sunday. An
estimated 100,000 vehicles per day will pass through the connector’s new

tunnel, which w

street intersection. See page 3 for details.

LGH neurosurgeon alarmed by serious
head injuries resulting from ‘bar fights’

You've got a serious problem in

A NORTH Vancouver neurosurgeon is alarmed by the

number of serious head injuries he is

of local ‘har fights.""

Dr. Brian Hunt is one of three
neurosurgeons Who treat patients
with head injuries at Lions Gate
Hospital,

On the weekend he treated his
latest. casualty. A young North
Vancouver man was beaten and
kicked in the head) during an
altercation at 2:30 a.m. Sund
following a night spent ata North
Vancouver bar.

The North
arrested a 33-year-old

Vancouver RCMP
man and

treating as the result

By Michael Becker

jews Reporter

27-year-old oman following — the
assault. The police investigation
into the incident continues.

Said Hunt of the injured man.
“He has mainiy facial and head
injuries after being Kicked
repeatedly in the head. He may
have permanent brain damage.

this community and | would like
to see ut stapped, because 1 don't
enjoy ing young people being
permanently brain damaged."

Hunt says that he has noticed a
patiern of violenee devefop over
the past few years. According to
Hunt, the assailants are clever.

“They are not picking derclicts
and bunts. They get their jolies
by picki asonably nice people,
reasonably clean-cut. Uhey catch
them with a litte booze in them
so that they are of f guard,

“They pick a fight with them,
give them a shove in the toilet or

something so that there are a few
words back and forth, and then
invite them outside the pub.

“And then two or three of them
jump the person and proceed to
beat them, primarily repeatedly
kicking the person, particularly in
the head, once they are on the
ground."

Added Hunt, ‘*One kick to the
head, as far as fm concern i
good enough to killa person

Hunt blasted local Crown
counsel and police: ‘S'm = par-
ticularly unhappy about the
gudlessness and the spinclessness
of the Crown counsel and the
RCMP in not charging these peo-
ple when they wre caught,’

tth Vancouver

Insp. Peter Wilodarezi
can certainty appreciate Dr.
Fhunt’s concerns over the fevel of

Il go underneath the heavily congested Cassiar and Hastings

violence. But what really bothers
me is Dr. Hunt's suggestion of a
trend."*

Local police see no particular
trend identifying a group of peo-
ple repeatedly frequenting bars
and luring people out for a
beating.

“Em not ing it doesn't hap-
pen of course, because anything
can happen in this day and age in
our society. Bars have always been
places Where fights have occurred.
Ethink a@ sad commentary on to-

s that the level of violence
increased at all levels of sacie-
y.° Wlodaresak suid.

He added that police regularly
monitor patrons and the suf
visory staff at local bar

But said Hunt, *

are Not