The German tourist who was shot in the head while driving on the highway west of Calgary last summer is paralyzed on his right side and still has trouble speaking after eight bullet fragments were removed from his brain last year, a judge has heard.
“His prognosis for a full recovery is guarded at best,” prosecutor Dane Rolfe said in his opening statement at the trial for the teenager accused of shooting Horst Stewin, 61, last summer.
The boy is now 17 and his identity is protected by a publication ban under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He is on trial on charges of aggravated assault, assault and three firearms-related offences.
Stewin has had to learn to write with his left hand, is often confused and has memory issues, according to Rolfe. The prosecutor also said the victim has trouble speaking and is in physical therapy three times a week.
Several months ago, a charge of attempted murder was dropped by the Crown after prosecutors decided there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Stewin, his wife, his son and his son’s girlfriend were in Canada celebrating his 60th birthday.
The family had stopped to take photos near the Morley rodeo grounds, about 55 kilometres west of Calgary. and as they pulled back onto Highway 1A, their black SUV was overtaken by another vehicle.
As the car pulled up beside the family, Stewin — who was driving — was shot once in the head, causing him to veer off into a ditch, crashing into a tree.
Stewin was airlifted to hospital but the bullet could not be safely removed from his head.
After a two-week stay, the victim was flown back to Germany, where doctors there successfully removed the fragments.
The accused was arrested on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation about three weeks after the shooting.
Last year, the teen was released on bail but breached his release conditions and was re-arrested.
He is currently in custody
Provincial court Judge George Gaschler is presiding over the seven-day trial.
The teen is represented by defence lawyer Balfour Der.