A Brighton man charged after a Quinte West OPP officer was stabbed during a vehicle stop last year has pleaded guilty.
Charles Parkinson, 26 at the time of the incident on March 21, was originally charged with attempted murder but instead pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated assault.
Also Wednesday Parkinson pleaded guilty to attempting to take a weapon from Constable Allan Detlor.
Court heard that Parkinson was pulled over for speeding in the area of Highway 62 and Foxboro-Stirling Road shortly before one o’clock in the morning. He was clocked at between 140 and 152 kmh.
While the Constable was checking Parkinson’s driving and criminal records Parkinson reversed his pickup truck and slammed it into the marked cruiser, moving it back one metre.
The cruiser and truck became entangled and Parkinson walked up to the cruiser screaming and waving his arms in an agitated way. No weapons were seen at that point although a nephew of Parkinson’s later told police Parkinson had a knife hidden between the seats of his vehicle the day before the incident.
Detlor radioed for help while Parkinson returned to his vehicle.
Constable Detlor approached Parkinson’s vehicle and Parkinson got out and assaulted him, hitting him multiple times with “something hard.” During the struggle the officer fell to his knees and was stabbed in the neck.
Parkinson tried unsuccessfully to take the officer’s Glock firearm and taser during the struggle.
While he was hovering over the bleeding Detlor he asked him, “What should I do now?” The Constable told him to “just run” or words to that effect. Parkinson ran away eastbound on Foxboro-Stirling Road and the officer told OPP dispatch where he’d gone.
A massive police manhunt ensued and he was found hiding in a backyard shed in Foxboro eight hours later.
Constable Detlor, born in 1961, was rushed to Kingston General and was only able to return home April 14, taking food through a straw for some time.
Justice Stephen Hunter heard that a report on Parkinson filed with the court said that he was “in an altered state of mind” during the incident although he was found fit to stand trial.
About three hours before being pulled over, Parkinson had been at Planet Fitness and asked an employee to deliver a note to an address. The woman refused to do so and after Parkinson left called the police out of concern for his behaviour.
Parkinson had also posted disturbing videos on social media. He had been having issues with a former girlfriend since January and was not to communicate with her but continuously did so.
Parkinson has been in custody since his arrest and a date for sentencing will take place March 7.
