BY KEITH LACEY
A Sudbury man who has fired four previous lawyers was told he might have to defend himself if he tried to delay his case by firing his fifth attorney.
Donald Kocurek, 34, who was shot at by police after allegedly trying to run down two officers in the spring of 2004, pleaded not guilty to nine counts Tuesday at the Sudbury courthouse. He pleaded guilty to possessing a small amount of cocaine.
Justice Louise Gauthier of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice reminded the defendant that a judge in November set the Jan. 3 trial date and warned him then he could represent himself or with another lawyer. Kocurek then agreed to continue to be represented by Linda Abrams. Before the trial
started Tuesday, Kocurek was acting angrily and aggressively toward court security officers.
It?s alleged Kocurek stole a truck from a construction site, replaced the licence plate with an expired plate and led police on a high-speed pursuit through
the Flour Mill and Donovan before violence erupted.
Kocurek has been charged with stealing the vehicle, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, assaulting two officers, resisting arrest and several counts of breach of probation.
Greater Sudbury Crown attorney John Luczak presented a brief outline of the case in an opening address saying the evidence will prove Kocurek stole
a late model truck from a construction site on March 3, 2004.
Eleven hours later around 2 am, an officer on routine patrol outside a hotel witnessed erratic driving and decided to follow the vehicle. After trying to evade police in the Flour Mill, the driver took off and blew through numerous stop signs and red lights.
After an extended high-speed chase, two officers in different cruisers trapped the truck on a snowbank and tried a ?pin manouevre.? They trapped the truck and driver so the vehicle couldn?t move, said Luczak.
One officer thought the incident was over and approached with his service revolver drawn, but the driver of the stolen truck managed to break free and drove the truck directly at the officer?s cruiser, striking it head on.
At this point, the officer yelled out for the driver to stop and ?at this point feared for his life.? He took five shots at close range at the driver. ?Miraculously, all five shots missed.?
The truck was again pinned and officers managed to arrest the driver after a struggle.
The evidence will prove the driver of that stolen vehicle was Kocurek, said Luczak.
The trial is expected to last until Friday.
Kocurek has been in custody at the Sudbury district jail since this incident 22 months ago.
