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Former ‘Myxxfest’ music festival organizer seeks $35K for alleged Abbotsford Police assault

Gary ‘Sir Johan’ Karlsen files civil claim, seeking damages for lost wages and pain and suffering
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The Abbotsford Law Courts (John Morrow/Abbotsford News)

A man who was in the media for proposing a large music festival at the Abbotsford Airport in 2013 has filed a notice of civil claim against the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) for an alleged assault earlier this year.

The man, who lists his full name on the court documents as Gary “Sir Johan” Schlewig Molstein Sonderburg Glucksburg Karlsen III, is seeking $35,000 in damages.

Karlsen says in the documents that the incident occurred on Jan. 18, when a city bylaw officer came to a residence on McColl Court “with others from city hall,” two APD officers, a member of Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service and a person from the BC Safety Authority for a “house property viewing.”

Karlsen alleges that, during the visit, the two officers – Const. Jonathan Jones and Const. Caleb Wood – assaulted him.

GARY KARLSEN
“I was threatened, intimidated and had my arm violently thrown up my back, twisting my wrist and my elbow, causing joint, muscle and ligaments damage, causing me headaches and loss of movement in my arm and wrist and elbow,” Karlsen’s notice of civil claim states.

He states that he was instructed by his doctor to take four to six weeks off work “to heal up properly.”

Karlsen is claiming damages for loss of work and pain and suffering. No other details were provided on his claim.

The APD and the City of Abbotsford filed a response, denying all allegations.

RELATED: Proposed Myxxfest concert has many hurdles to clear

Their response states that the officers were at the home at the request of the bylaw officer, who was conducting an inspection. When they arrived, Karlsen refused to identify himself or provide proof of his association to the property, the documents state.

They state he was warned that if he did not provide proof, he would be arrested for trespassing.

“The claimant continued to refuse to provide his identity or any form of identification. The officers therefore concluded they had reasonable and probable grounds to arrest the claimant without warrant,” the documents state.

While he was being arrested, Karlsen said he would provide ID, and the officers allowed him to do so, which proved his name and place of residence.

The officers did not complete the arrest, according to the APD response.

“The claimant suffered no loss, injury damage or expense as alleged, or at all,” the documents state.

They state that any damages Karlsen might have suffered were caused by his own negligence in “failing to follow the direction of the officers and failing to provide identification when requested.”

As well, the response states that Karlsen did not provide sufficient notice to the city about the civil claim as required under the Local Government Act.

Karlsen said in his notice that he has also filed a claim with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.

Karlsen was in the media in 2013, when he proposed a music festival – which he dubbed Myxxfest – for the Abbotsford Airport. At the time, he said he was hoping to bring to town some of the greatest names in rock history, including Elton John, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney.



vhopes@abbynews.com

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Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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