Edmonton Journal

Mother recounts ordeal after man rammed her car

Man facing attempted murder charges after stolen car used as a battering ram

- CATHERINE GRIWKOWSKY AND JURIS GRANEY

Attempted murder charges were laid Friday after a driver repeatedly rammed a car containing a mother and child before trying to run over the mother’s boyfriend in an unprovoked attack on a north Edmonton street.

For mother Dianne LaFleur, her mind had been on upcoming final exams as an education student and on her two-year-old son.

Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, her fear shifted to that of her son’s life and her own.

“I’m really lucky he’s OK,” she said Friday, gesturing to her son.

Police said the ordeal began around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday when officers were called to a Delton neighbourh­ood home where a 31-year-old man was involved in a heated argument with his mother inside her home.

Before officers arrived, the man, believed to be high on cocaine and/ or methamphet­amine, stole his mother’s Nissan Maxima and fled the home near 87 Street and 121 Avenue.

Two hours later, the man returned as LaFleur, a neighbour, and her son were getting into their car, a Nissan Altima.

LaFleur had dropped off her boyfriend and was getting ready to go visit her mom. She sent a text to her mom at 7:33 p.m. saying she and her son were on their way.

The stolen Maxima suddenly drove toward them, with the driver accelerati­ng before it rammed her car several times, police said.

LaFleur had seen the man before and thought the first collision was an accident.

“Next thing I know, boom, he runs into me,” LaFleur said.

“I looked back at my son and he was OK. In my mind, it was an accident until I made eye contact with (the neighbour). He was looking at me like he wanted to kill me. He gave me a very, very evil look.”

After the second collision, LaFleur’s airbag went off. She held down her car horn to get her boyfriend’s attention.

He ran outside to intervene. Police said he managed to distract the suspect, who then aimed the Maxima at him and drove over the sidewalk before the man jumped out of the way.

The trio fled to their home for safety. LaFleur said her boyfriend and son were unharmed. She has a minor concussion, bruises on her legs and a goose egg with a large bruise on her forehead.

“My head was throbbing and I was puking,” she said.

The suspect returned to his mother’s home, where he was soon arrested and eventually taken to hospital for a suspected drug overdose.

LaFleur is now dealing with her insurance company and investigat­ors. She had just purchased her Altima — the first nice car she’s ever bought.

“I called my mom sobbing. I couldn’t even talk,” LaFleur said. “She was here in about 10 minutes.”

Despite the ordeal, LaFleur’s mind was still on her classes, and on the way to the hospital, she emailed her instructor to let her know what happened.

“I sounded crazy, I can’t believe I even said that, but in the heat of the moment I was worried about my school,” she said.

LaFleur said Friday she was still in a state of disbelief.

“It doesn’t feel real,” she said. Police said the suspect and the neighbours didn’t know each other.

Edmonton police Det. Scott Nolt said Friday it was fortunate no one was more seriously hurt.

“There is absolutely no motive or provocatio­n for this incident to have occurred, which is alarming,” Nolt said.

“Fortunatel­y, it didn’t have a tragic outcome.”

But a person close to the suspect said he’s been trying to get help and was told by police that they couldn’t do anything until he hurt himself or someone else.

The source, who didn’t want to be named, said police were called on the Sunday before the incident — one of about 20 times they had been called.

The next day, he tried to get profession­al psychologi­cal help, but was told it would take 10 days. That 10 days was too late. The source believes the man was trying to die by suicide, feeling helpless and frustrated after not getting help.

Amit Mani, 31, is charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, three counts of dangerous driving, mischief and driving while disqualifi­ed.

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