Police have laid additional charges related to the incident that occurred on Nov. 15 in the 2100 block of Queen Street East, and two more people have also been charged.
The following additional charges were laid against Nicholas Berto, 26:
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court x5
- Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order x8
Nicholas continues to be held in custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, police said in a news release issued on Friday morning.
These are in addition to the charges that were laid in November.
On Thursday, police charged the parents of Nicholas, Robert Berto, 54, and Deborah Martynuck-Berto, 62, with the following:
- Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device, or Ammunition x2
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x2
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking x3
- Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
- Unauthorized Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm x2
Both Robert and Deborah were held in custody pending a bail hearing.
At around 12:40 p.m. on Nov. 15, someone called 911 to report there was an individual with a firearm in the 2100 block of Queen Street East.
The public was asked to avoid the area.
“When the accused exited the residence, officers proceeded to clear the residence, along with a camper trailer, to ensure they were safe and secure,” said Sault Ste. Marie Police in a news release from Nov. 18.
“In doing so, officers saw firearms inside the trailer.”
After getting a warrant, detectives searched the residence and trailer. They say they found a loaded handgun and a shotgun in the trailer.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and all of the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty.
This is not the first time Nicholas has been charged.
In 2016, he was charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm and fleeing an accident scene after running over Paul VanderGriendt in the early morning hours of March 12, 2016, and then speeding away from the bar parking lot without stopping to offer assistance.
Paul VanderGriendt, a Sault College aviation instructor, received life-threatening injuries that left him a quadriplegic.
Berto was behind the wheel of his jacked-up, knobby-tired truck when he struck the then 25-year-old victim following an altercation with a group of people outside of The Harp Bar and Grill in the Pine Plaza.
A jury found him guilty of the charges in 2018.