On This Day In Vernon Vipers History:

Eighteen years ago today (April 12th 2002) In
Game 5 of the BCHL League Finals best of seven series vs the Chilliwack Chiefs, during a Vipers timeout Vernon Vipers trainer Trevor McEachnie attacked Chilliwack Chiefs mascot "Chief Wannawin" who was banging his drum behind the Vernon bench. Both McEachnie & Chief Wannawin were ejected from the hockey game. The hometown Vipers took Games 1 & 2 on home ice, before the Chiefs would win the following four games to win the series 4-2 winning the Fred Page Cup, would advance to the Doyle Cup vs the AJHL Drayton Valley Thunder.

Trevor McEachnie/Chief Wannawin brawl,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UyVVB2rvMo

This was in the Vancouver Province newspaper:

Punched junior hockey mascot awarded $35,000 in damages

Chief Wannawin hit by trainer for drumming too loudly

Keith Fraser and Glenda Luymes

The Province

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

The drum-beating mascot of a junior hockey team has been awarded $35,000 in damages after he was repeatedly punched in the head for drumming too loudly.

Kris Reddemann, 26, dresses up as an Indian chief called Chief Wannawin while cheering for the Chilliwack Chiefs Junior A club.

On April 12, 2002, Wannawin was at a Chiefs playoff game in Vernon against the Vipers and was banging his drum loudly in his seat behind the Vernon bench.

It was the fifth game of a tied playoff series and after the Chiefs scored two quick goals, the Vipers called a time out.

Wannawin kept beating his drum.

Trevor McEachnie, the volunteer Viper trainer, found the noise deafening and confronted him.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Grant Burnyeat heard several versions of what happened next, and ruled that McEachnie punched Reddemann at least seven or eight times.

"At trial, Mr. McEachnie's only excuse was that [Reddemann] was now in, 'His arena' and that he felt threatened by this," said the judge.

"I reject that as a reason why Mr. McEachnie would continue with this unprovoked and brutal assault on Mr. Reddemann."

Reddemann, a drywaller, suffered injuries to his neck and head, including a concussion and a broken tooth.

"I'm back at work but I'm still in pain. My neck is screwed up," he said yesterday.

Reddemann also sued the Vernon hockey club, but the case against the team was dismissed.

"I was disappointed that the team wasn't found liable," he said. "I was sold the seat behind their bench and it was their guy who punched me. But in general it looks good."

Donald McCrimmon, Reddemann's lawyer, said he expected to get a judgment against the trainer and was "somewhat disappointed" the judge didn't rule against the team.

Reddemann was awarded $25,000 for pain and suffering, $150 for wage loss and $10,000 for punitive damages.

Reddemann first donned the mascot's suit 10 years ago as a dare.

"I found I really liked it," he said. "Now, it's more of a habit. I have one more year left for sure, and after that I don't know."

Reddemann said he hasn't allowed the attack to change Chief Wannawin's style.

"I don't think it hurt my confidence. I was just doing my job, and that's what I'm still doing."

The attack was witnessed by an RCMP officer and McEachnie was charged with assault causing bodily harm. He was acquitted.

This was in the Vernon Morningstar newspaper:

Mascot wins civil suit

By Dan Ebenal

Morning Star Staff

Jun 24 2005

A hockey mascot has been awarded $35,000 in damages for a beating he received at a Vernon Viper hockey game.

Kristen Reddemann - the mascot Chief Wannawin for the Chilliwack Chiefs - was seated behind the Vipers players bench at the April 12, 2002 playoff game in Vernon's Multiplex.

After Chilliwack scored two quick goals, Vernon called a timeout but coach Mike Vandekamp was drowned out by Reddemann loudly banging on a drum while standing behind the Vipers bench. That prompted Viper trainer Trevor McEachnie to scramble over the glass, repeatedly striking Reddemann.

The beating left Reddemann with a concussion, injuries to his neck, head and one of his teeth - and he said he still suffers pain, discomfort and difficulty sleeping.

Justice Grant Burnyeat found McEachnie liable and awarded Reddemann $25,000 for pain and suffering, a further $10,000 in punitive damages as well as $150 for wages lost in his occupation of a drywaller.

However, the judge dismissed the claim against the Vernon Vipers hockey club and owner Duncan Wray.

I cannot find that the tortuous conduct of Mr. McEachnie was sufficiently related to any conduct authorized by the owner," said Burnyeat.

Wray said the incident is a black eye for the B.C. Hockey League.

Whenever you have an employee of one team suing another team, it's never good for hockey."

Wray said he was always confident that he would be exonerated of liability, and while he believed McEachnie would be found liable, he was surprised by the extent of the damages awarded.

Wray plans to ban Reddemann from attending the Multiplex for Viper games to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

He has a reputation for being an agitator. I'm very uncomfortable with having him in the building," he said.

During the B.C. Supreme Court trial, McEachnie said I turned around to tell him to shut up - as I turned I struck my left shoulder with his drumstick."

Reddemann testified that McEachnie then hit him over the right eye, striking him again two or three times before he hit the ground. McEachnie continued to rain blows down on Reddemann, hitting him seven or eight times on the back of the head as he lay on the concrete floor.

McEachnie, who was acquitted on criminal assault charges in connection with the incident, called the attack self-defence, saying he felt threatened that Reddemann had entered into his area."

I find that no reasonable person would infer that the presence of a boisterous or even an obnoxious fan would create a threat to Mr. McEachnie," said Burnyeat.

The judge rejected McEachnie's claim he was struck by Reddemann's drumstick, adding such provocation would not justify the severe beating Reddemann received.

The violence of Mr. McEachnie was totally disproportionate to the severity of either the touching or the striking of Mr. McEachnie even if I could find that such took place."