EDMONTON - The man beaten to death on an Edmonton LRT car in late December was waiting to be sentenced for trafficking crack cocaine when he died.
John Steven Hollar was convicted in August of trafficking a controlled substance, possession of the proceeds of crime and possession of a controlled substance. He was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday morning, but the charges were withdrawn when provincial court Judge Robert Philp was told Hollar had died.
“Please pass on the court’s condolences,” Philp told Hollar’s lawyer.
Hollar was arrested March 9, 2011 for his role in the sale of a small amount of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer.
Hollar was viciously assaulted by another man on a northbound LRT train for six minutes on the afternoon of Dec. 28, police said.
The attack started after the train left the Coliseum Station around 1:50 p.m. and continued until the train stopped at Clareview.
Hollar was already unconscious by the time the train reached the Belvedere station, but officials decided to have the train carry on to Clareview, in part because the presence of another train near Belvedere could have delayed police and emergency responders from getting to the scene.
Hollar was taken to hospital in critical condition and died two days later.
“From the beginning of the fight to the end, it seemed very one-sided ...,” homicide Det. Colin Derksen said. “It appears that Mr. Hollar was just trying to avoid the situation and get away.”
A charge of second-degree murder is pending against Jeremy Newborn, 29, who has been remanded in custody. Newborn was originally charged with aggravated assault but the second-degree murder charge will be formally laid at Newborn’s next court appearance Jan. 14.
Edmonton Journal