A Grand Forks man has been found not guilty of aggravated assault in connection with an altercation at the Beaver Valley Arena during a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff game in 2025.
Judge Rob Brown acquitted Glenn Holbrook on Wednesday, July 15, in Rossland Provincial Court following a trial that began in March and continued over several hearing dates.
Holbrook, who was 57 at the time of the alleged offence, had faced one count of aggravated assault stemming from an incident during the final game of the Beaver Valley Nitehawks’ second-round playoff series against the Grand Forks Border Bruins on March 19, 2025.
Crown counsel alleged that a 47-year-old Fruitvale man confronted Holbrook near the end of the game over the use of an air horn.
The Crown alleged the altercation escalated near a staircase inside the arena, where the complainant said he was pushed down a flight of stairs.
According to Trail and Greater District RCMP, the confrontation began as a verbal dispute between two spectators during the third period before allegedly turning physical.
Police said the Fruitvale man sustained serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to hospital.
The incident prompted a police investigation after it was reported the day following the game.
RCMP later released security camera images in an effort to identify a person of interest before Holbrook turned himself in at the Trail RCMP detachment.
He was arrested on April 8, 2025, and later appeared in Rossland Provincial Court on the aggravated assault charge.
The trial opened in Rossland on March 3 before Judge Brown and continued over several dates, before concluding this week.
The alleged altercation also prompted changes at Beaver Valley Arena.
Signs posted throughout the facility now state that “the use of air horns and artificial noise makers is prohibited from this facility.”
An RDKB employee confirmed to the Trail Times that four of the signs have been posted since the incident.
Questions about whether the signs reflect a formal regional district policy were referred to RDKB manager of facilities and recreation Mark Daines, who was unavailable Thursday.