A man once sought by police as “armed and dangerous” saw the withdrawal in court of the last of multiple charges for assaults with weapons that caused bodily harm.
Isiah Dustin Smoke, 36, also known as Isaiah Smoke, appeared recently in Ontario Court
Smoke was accused of stabbing a 42-year-old man several times on March 14, 2022 near Nelson and Market streets in Brantford. The man was taken to hospital for treatment of what police called non-life-threatening injuries.
Two days later, Smoke was accused of trying to rob a woman at the same area and hitting her with a crowbar.
The woman was also taken to hospital for treatment.
Brantford Police issued a warrant for Smoke’s arrest and asked the public to watch for him, but not to approach him, warning that they considered him “armed and dangerous”.
On March 22, 2022, Smoke was arrested and held for bail.
In court, Smoke faced charges of assault causing bodily harm from four different occasions in 2021 but the charges were slowly withdrawn during multiple court appearances.
At least two of the charges – including the one where he was alleged to have beaten a woman with a crowbar – took place in or near a Market Street building where basement rooms are sometimes rented out to those without homes, said assistant Crown attorney Cameron Rogers .
The crowbar incident was set to go to trial when, Rogers said, it was decided, after consultation with the woman, to proceed with a peace bond.
Rogers said Smoke and the woman had been staying at the property when Smoke tried to take her backpack, believing there was money in it.
According to an information provided by police, the woman had been taken to hospital after being hit on the head, arms and ribs with the crowbar. Officers saw swelling on her head and a small gash on her face.
While a defense lawyer for Smoke said he was not admitting to either the facts or any civil liability, Smoke would agree to the proposed two-year peace bond.
Justice Colette Good ordered that Smoke maintain peace and avoid any criminal charges for two years, have no weapons, not communicate with the woman and not go near the Market Street property where he once lived.
Once Smoke signed that agreement, the rest of his charges were withdrawn.
@EXPSGamble