Charges against two adults have been stayed and one youth has been found not-guilty in connection with an alleged assault that took place in Quesnel, a year ago.
According to information from the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS), former Quesnel River Rush players Joshua Greenough and Treyton Mero were charged with assault causing bodily harm on Jan. 13, 2025. The offences were alleged to have occurred on Nov. 2, 2024, in Quesnel.
On the same day, a young person was charged with the same offence, arising out of the same circumstances.
On Sept. 19, 2025, the Crown directed a stay of proceedings for the two adult accused. The BCPS noted that, except in rare cases, it does not disclose reasons behind prosecutorial discretion decisions, including stays of proceedings.
The Charge Assessment Guidelines require Crown counsel to be satisfied that the evidence presents a substantial likelihood of conviction and that prosecution is in the public interest. If either standard is no longer met, a prosecution cannot continue.
In this case, the ad hoc prosecutor concluded the test was no longer met, resulting in the stay of proceedings. However, in the case of a stay of proceedings, the Crown can re-initiate the case within a specific timeframe, such as six months or a year, if there is valid evidence to proceed. A stay is not the same as being found not guilty.
The youth’s matter proceeded to trial on Nov. 14, 2025, and the young person was found not guilty. The BCPS advised that publication bans under the Youth Criminal Justice Act apply in such cases.
Earlier this year, Quesnel RCMP had asked anyone with information or video related to the alleged incident, which occurred during a house party on the evening of Nov. 2, 2024, and into the morning of Nov. 3, to contact investigators.
The Quesnel River Rush released a statement following the resolution of the cases, confirming that the three team members who had been charged “have been cleared of all charges.”
The team noted the adult players’ charges were stayed on Sept. 19, while the youth was found not guilty after a four-day trial.
“The players, coaching staff and fans welcome the end of this unfortunate incident and look forward to probably representing Quesnel with the continued commitment to hockey excellence, good sportsmanship, and community involvement,” reads the statement.
Currently, Greenough plays for the NWCAA Stamps U21 B and Mero hasn’t played for any other teams after the 2024-25 season with the River Rush.