The local man who chased a would-be thief and held him at gunpoint on his rural property has been cleared of wrongdoing.
Two firearms-related charges against Guido Smilovic were dismissed Wednesday in provincial court.
Smilovic, 77, was charged for an incident in May, after police received a 911 call from a man saying he was being held in his pickup truck by a shotgun-wielding person.
A police investigation determined the man had tried to break into buildings on the property and when he attempted to flee, Smilovic blocked his escape.
The pickup driver then tried to go through a hole in the fence, which resulted in the property owner firing his shotgun into the air.
The suspect then stopped and waited for police to arrive.
When the dust settled, both men were charged.
“Mr. Smilovic did what I think most people would have done,” said defence counsel David Dubinsky.
“He wasn’t trying to injure that individual. He was trying to keep him there until police arrived.”
A 22-year-old man faces a charge of break and enter and is due in court next Wednesday.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
