I have stayed in touch with Alex Montreuil, the Montreal man who was attacked with his allergen during an argument at Jewish General Hospital’s Atrium coffee shop. The attack occurred on September 5, 2012, at which time his female attacker threw the food she knew that he is deathly allergic to (tomato) into his face, causing a systemic allergic reaction requiring treatment in the emergency department.
I was shocked to learn in January 2013 that although four months had passed since the attack, criminal charges had not been laid. Global Montreal reporter Anne Leclair investigated, and her follow up story is here: http://blog.onespotallergy.com/2013/01/update-criminal-charges-not-yet-processed-four-months-after-allergy-assault/ It was not until February 22, 2013, that Mr. Montreuil was finally notified by the Ministry of Justice that criminal charges had finally been laid under section 267a of the Criminal Code, the offence of using a weapon to assault a person.
It was then that he finally learned his attacker’s name: Evelyn Samantha Donis. No explanation has been provided for why it took five and a half months for charges to be laid. Had Ms. Donis attacked Mr. Montreuil with a knife or a gun, instead of the allergen she knew was deadly to him, I submit it would not have taken so long. Ms. Donis is scheduled to appear in court on June 3, 2013 for a pro forma appearance.
Thankfully, Mr. Montreuil finally knows his attacker’s name, should he wish to pursue a civil claim against her. One can only wonder why this took so long.
