Jason Townsend died in November.

Image Credit: GoFundMe/Beanne Krause

A former North Okanagan resident assaulted by a Hells Angels prospect at a Kelowna nightclub eight years ago has been awarded $200,000 in damages.

However, since B.C. Supreme Court Justice Dennis Hori heard the case in October, Jason Townsend, the Hells Angels' prospect who sucker-punched him causing major injuries has since died.

The case dates back to 2013 when University of Calgary student Cameron Alexander McRae was assaulted by Townsend while at Kelowna's Liquid Zoo Show Lounge Bar and Grill nightclub.

According to a Dec. 16 B.C. Supreme Court decision McRae, who grew up in Coldstream, was at a friend’s bachelor party at Liquid Zoo when Townsend punched him without warning.

"The punch thrown by Jason Townsend was unprovoked and it caught (McRae) by surprise," Justice Hori said in the decision. "After the assault, (McRae) recalls being dragged across the floor of the bar with bright lights flashing and music playing. He next recalls being in the washroom splashing water on his bloody face and then he recalls being in the hospital."

Townsend was later convicted of aggravated assault and in 2016 sentenced to 10 months jail.

McRae later sued the Liquid Zoo nightclub – which is owned by well-known businessman and 2022 Kelowna mayoral candidate David Habib.

He also listed five John Does in the civil suit as well as Jason Townsend.

The decision says McRae settled with Liquid Zoo out of court.

Court documents show Townsend denied the assault and claimed to not have been in the nightclub when it took place.

However, Justice Hori dismissed the claim and ordered Townsend to pay damages to McRae.

The decision says Townsend did not participate in the court proceedings to argue how much damages should be paid out.

According to the decision, McRae needed surgery after the assault and two plates were used to fix his fractured jaw. He also needed four root canals and one crown, and suffered a concussion.

To this day, McRae still suffers long-term effects from the assault and has chronic headaches and pain in his jaw and teeth, along with various psychological issues.

McRae, who since finished university and became a qualified engineer, argued that the assault meant he couldn't work immediately afterwards and the assault had a long-term effect on his health and therefore his employment.

Ultimately, Justice Hori ruled Townsend to pay $200,000 in compensation, along with $5,000 to cover healthcare costs.

Justice Hori delivered his ruling Dec. 16 following a two-day hearing in October.

However, Townsend was killed in a single-vehicle collision near Prince George in early November.

The Vancouver Sun reported that Townsend was a former member of a Prince George-based Hells Angels support club, the Renegades motorcycle club.

That club disbanded after its leader was murdered and other members arrested. Townsend was then accepted into the Kelowna Hells Angels club and became a "prospect," which is the final step before coming a full-patch member.

Townsend had a history of violence and in 2014 was sentenced to two years in jail for assault causing bodily harm after he attacked three people outside a nightclub in Prince George.

Following his death, two separate GoFundme campaigns have been set up for his family and have so far raised roughly $12,000.

It's unclear how Townsend's death will affect McRae's ability to collect on the $200,000 owed.

McRae's lawyer, Chris Hart, said he wasn't aware Townsend had died but didn't have permission to discuss the matter further.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022