Kimberly Anne Lewis served a combination of jail and house arrest, amounting to a two year provincial time-served jail sentence. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

sentenced

Woman pleads guilty & sentenced for downtown Nanaimo stabbing

Apr 16, 2024 | 5:32 AM

NANAIMO — A vulnerable man sleeping at a bus stop awoke to a woman stabbing him several times in the head.

Kimberly Anne Lewis, 53, pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for aggravated assault for an Aug. 14, 2022 incident at bus stop adjacent to Port Place Shopping Centre.

The attack between two Indigenous people known to each other left the victim seriously injured.

Lewis received a time-served sentence of two years in jail followed by two years probation. She’ll remain housed indefinitely at a residential treatment centre in Mission, BC.

Crown counsel’s James Kulla outlined the facts during a Monday, April 15 sentencing hearing in BC Supreme Court in Nanaimo involving Lewis buying a knife from the adjoining mall just prior to the attack on Front St. just east of Esplanade.

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While on her mobility scooter, Lewis spotted the victim at about 9 a.m., approached him and immediately began stabbing him several times in the head.

The victim, Damion Gallant, attempted to shield himself from the onslaught and managed to run off.

He was found lying on the ground in the area of Victoria Cres. and Cavan St., heavily bleeding from the head.

Gallant was rushed to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH).

“Shortly thereafter Ms. Lewis called 911, she described that she had just stabbed a homeless male with a knife,” Kulla told court.

A section of Front St. was taped off by police after Kimberly Lewis stabbed a man several times in the head on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2022. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Lewis alleged to the 911 dispatcher her stabbing victim stole from her recently, she was schizophrenic and was off her medication.

She was arrested near the crime scene in front of the TD Bank on Nicol St., while police seized the discarded knife in the area.

In a statement to Nanaimo RCMP, Lewis claimed Gallant was one of the people to blame for costing her a favourable housing situation.

She told police she was cut off from medication three weeks earlier and didn’t recall making the 911 call.

Gallant suffered multiple lacerations to the head and left hand, as well as minor cuts to left shoulder.

Two lacerations to the head: behind the ear near his neck and right temple, were described as significant.

Gallant’s left hand was severely impacted while trying to defend himself, including major damage to tendons to a thumb and index finger.

A CT scan showed no evidence of neurological injury.

Prior to a scheduled consultation with a plastic surgeon, Gallant left NRGH against the advice of doctors.

A report was ordered to determine Lewis’ mental suitability, however her actions were deemed to be criminal and not within the threshold of potentially being found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.

Monday’s hearing was told Lewis, a mother of four, has multiple mental health challenges, including a sufferer of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, opioid and stimulant use disorders, along with bipolar and borderline personality disorders.

Claims by Lewis she’s schizophrenic could not be substantiated.

Lewis has had significant substance and alcohol abuse issues from “a very young age”, court was told. She relapsed in the days prior to the offence, which included injectable drug use.

She was granted bail last May and has excelled during an extended tenure at a supportive recovery environment, court was told.

Several positive reference letters from staff detailed her progress.

An apologetic Lewis rose from the prisoner’s box and addressed the court: “I am dearly sorry to Mr. Gallant and I hope that he is fairing better and I’d just like to stay in recovery until I am recovered,” she said.

BC Supreme Court Justice Robin Baird addressed the offender prior to accepting a jointly submitted sentencing recommendation.

“You acted out in an outrageous, destructive way that I can’t help is going to have very lasting, long-term negative consequences for Mr. Gallant, whose obviously a person whose got his own problems…”

Justice Baird theorized Lewis wrongly believed she had a legitimate grievance, but was rather likely ill and not thinking straight.

The senior judge said all of the reports submitted to the court indicates Lewis is motivated and committed to rehabilitation.

“That causes me a great deal of optimism,” justice Baird said.

Lewis’ two year probationary term includes specialized programming under BC Psychiatric Services.

She was given a lifetime weapons ban, which includes not having the ability to possess a knife outside of her home.

Her dated criminal record includes convictions for robberies in 2004 and 2012.

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