A man from Port au Port West has been given a seven-year prison sentence for shooting a snowmobiler in the head almost two years ago on Newfoundland’s west coast. Justice Trina Simms imposed the sentence on Harold Wayne Hynes, 68, via Zoom from a Corner Brook courtroom on Monday evening for the shooting of Chad Hickey on Feb. 21, 2025.
Alex Hickey, Chad Hickey’s wife, expressed satisfaction with the maximum sentence presented by the Crown, acknowledging that no sentence could fully address the challenges her family has faced over the past 20 months. Hynes was apprehended and charged with attempted murder, careless use of a firearm, and aggravated assault on March 16, 2025.
Justice Simms highlighted the severe nature of the offense, emphasizing that firing a shotgun not only endangered Chad Hickey but also posed a threat to the community. The incident occurred at Gravel’s Pond, near Hynes’ residence, where Hickey and a friend were snowmobiling. Hynes fired his shotgun from a window, striking Hickey in the head.
As a result of the incident, Hickey sustained a brain injury and underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments, leading to partial loss of function on his left side. Following a 33-day hospitalization and six weeks of rehabilitation at the Miller Centre in St. John’s, where he had to relearn basic tasks, Hickey’s wife, Alex, gave birth to their first child during this challenging period.
Initially pleading not guilty to all charges, Hynes later changed his plea to guilty of aggravated assault and careless use of a firearm, resulting in the discharge of the attempted murder charge without a trial. Hickey expressed the profound impact of his injuries on his ability to experience fatherhood for the first time.
Despite facing ongoing challenges related to his injuries, which include balancing issues and limited hand function, Hickey has returned to work as a fishing boat captain. Hynes, who has no family and suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, apologized to the family during the sentencing, a gesture that Alex Hickey deemed insufficient given the irreversible consequences of his actions.
Hynes is subject to a lifetime ban on firearm possession and is prohibited from contacting Hickey or his immediate family. Alex and Chad recently celebrated their wedding, and their son is now 18 months old.