Cory Van Gilder broke down and sobbed on the witness stand Thursday when he remembered delivering the punch that killed a man outside a Kelowna Cactus Club.

害羞草研究所淗e wasn害羞草研究所檛 stopping, he was coming toward the walkway, and headed toward three younger kids,害羞草研究所� said Van Gilder, who told jurors of his memory of Zachary Gaudette害羞草研究所檚 actions before the fatal altercation.

害羞草研究所淚 took a couple steps toward him and as soon as he turned toward me, I hit him.害羞草研究所�

It was a punch that ruptured a blood vessel and caused Gaudette a brain bleed that turned fatal in the days that followed.

Jurors in the manslaughter case looking at the events of Feb. 17, 2016 were asked to leave the courtroom after Van Gilder succumbed to tears, allowing him time to compose himself.

Ten minutes later they returned and Van Gilder continued with testimony in his own defence.

By his account Gaudette was crazy, aggravated, angry and dangerous.

害羞草研究所淗e said 害羞草研究所業 will fight all of you or any one of you害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� he repeated himself,害羞草研究所� said Van Gilder, adding that Gaudette害羞草研究所檚 arms were flailing and he had thrown his jacket and backpack down at the corner of Highway 97, seemingly to leave him unencumbered for a confrontation.

害羞草研究所淗e was very loud and I could hear him over the traffic.害羞草研究所�.

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The distance between the intersection and the restaurant was traversed in no time, and according to Van Gilder, Gaudette had focused his anger on the group outside the restaurant.

He asked around to see if anyone knew him, and they didn害羞草研究所檛. Then a friend害羞草研究所檚 girlfriend walked toward Gaudette and that concerned him, so he followed for a moment and then stepped in front of her.

She was called back by her boyfriend and Gaudette advanced toward the group of 害羞草研究所渒ids,害羞草研究所� said Van Gilder, speaking of the men in their early 20s.

He walked toward Gaudette, and the two 害羞草研究所渓ocked eyes害羞草研究所� and that害羞草研究所檚 when he hit him.

He didn害羞草研究所檛 think he害羞草研究所檇 hit him hard enough to cause harm, nor did he intend to, he told jurors. He and friends went to another restaurant afterward, thinking that he害羞草研究所檇 just ended a potentially dangerous situation.

Days later when he found out that Gaudette had died 害羞草研究所渉is heart sank.害羞草研究所�

On cross examination, Crown counsel Andrew Vandersluys asked Van Gilder to explain why he didn害羞草研究所檛 leave or why he didn害羞草研究所檛 do something to defuse the situation.

Van Gilder had competed in JiuJitsu competitions in 2010, and Vandersluys pointed out that害羞草研究所檚 a sport where skills in disarming an assailant are taught.

Gaudette said he wasn害羞草研究所檛 sure if there was a weapon, and that was why he just hit him.

Whether Gaudette had a weapon was the focus of much of Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 portion of the trial.

Evidence in the manslaughter trial has concluded and the jury is likely to start deliberations on Monday.

kmichaels@kelownacapnews.com
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