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Regina men convicted of manslaughter charged in police hit-and-run

Regina men convicted of manslaughter charged in police hit-and-run

Two men from Regina who were previously convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of Albert Lowenberger are facing new charges in a hit-and-run involving a police officer.

Ashton Lavallee-Raphael, 25, and Ronald Zerr, 27, were convicted in 2012 of stabbing Lowenberger outside of a north Regina bar in February 2008.

Police hit-and-run

Around midnight CST Sunday, police tried to pull over a truck after the men inside had reportedly gotten into an argument with a pedestrian.

The driver of the truck drove off down 8th Avenue toward Elphinstone Street.

The police officer turned on the police vehicle's emergency lights and attempted to stop the truck.

Just as the officer was getting out to approach the men, the driver of the truck allegedly backed into the police vehicle.The airbags deployed which caused an injury to the officer's wrist.

The driver of the truck then sped off north down Elphinstone Street through a construction zone. The vehicle reportedly broke through construction signs and struck barriers at 4th Avenue.

Finally, one block north, the truck hit a streetlight and broke off the steel poles.

At that point, two men got out of the truck and continued their flight on foot. Within a block they were caught by police.

Lavallee-Raphael and Zerr are both charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident and assaulting a police officer with a weapon. Lavallee-Raphael also faces dangerous and impaired driving charges.

Both men made their first court appearance in Regina provincial court Monday morning.

Manslaughter conviction

On February Feb. 23 2008, Albert Lowenberger died of a stab wound to the heart. His body was found in a parking lot near the King's Head Tavern in north Regina.

Two other men were injured in the fight that led to Lowenberger's death.

In March 2008, Zerr and Lavallee-Raphael were arrested in Lowenberger's death. Zerr was originally charged with second degree murder and Lavallee-Raphael was charged with manslaughter.

In December 2012, a jury found both men guilty of manslaughter.

Zerr was sentenced to nine years and Lavallee-Raphael was given seven years in prison. However, both men were given credit for time served in custody and were released.