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UPDATE: Sentencing hearing set for Coldstream standoff defendant

Kelly Blake Torvik will appear in Vernon Law Courts July 24 for sentencing
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Kelly Blake Torvik, who faces nine charges stemming from a standoff in Coldstream in February, will have his matter moved to sentencing. (Morning Star file photo)

UPDATE: Sunday, July 22

Kelly Blake Torvik will appear in Vernon Law Courts Tuesday, July 24 at 2 p.m. for sentencing.

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Original

A Coldstream man who entered six guilty pleas in relation to a 15-hour standoff with police in February will have his matter moved to sentencing.

Kelly Blake Torivk, born in 1985, appeared via video in Vernon Law Courts Thursday, July 19, where defence asked for the matter to be adjourned to the judicial case manager to fix a date for sentencing. That had not occurred at press time on Thursday afternoon.

Related: Standoff suspect facing nine charges

A technical suitability report and mental health assessment, which defence was awaiting, were received.

Torvik faces nine charges in relation to the incident and pleaded guilty to five counts including one count of assault, one count of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, one count of pointing a firearm, one count of careless use or storage of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm without licence or registration.

Related: Coldstream standoff suspect enters further guilty pleas

Those charges and the further charges including one count of possession of a firearm without licence or registration, using a firearm to commit an indictable offence and assault with a weapon stem from a Feb. 5 incident at a home on Torrent Drive.

Related: Firearm seized, charges pending in Coldstream standoff

Police were called to a home just after midnight for a report of a distraught man thought to have a firearm.

As a precautionary measure, police evacuated the immediately-affected residents of the surrounding homes to ensure their personal safety.

Temporary road closures were put in place on Torrent Drive, Kidston Road and Cottonwood Lane.

The RCMP Southeast District Emergency Response Team (ERT), an emergency team from the Lower Mainland and specifically-trained negotiators were all called to the scene to make contact and communicate with the man.

The standoff ended shortly after 3 p.m. when the suspect was arrested without incident.

Investigators learned that the man allegedly assaulted and uttered threats to another female resident of the home, who was able to depart the premise to safety prior to police arrival. She was treated for minor injuries at a local medical facility.

Police seized a firearm from the home.


@VernonNews
parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com

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