Two males charged with aggravated assault; two males charged with drug, weapons offences

Lethbridge Police have charged two males in connection with an assault where a 29-year-old man sustained serious injuries.

On November 29, just after 9:30 a.m., police responded to a report of an assault involving multiple people fighting with weapons along the 700 block of 3 Avenue South. Upon arrival, officers located a male with head injuries. He was transported to hospital and later airlifted to Calgary with life-threatening injuries. He remains in hospital in stable condition. 

Further investigation determined a group of males attacked the victim after he confronted them at an encampment. The parties involved are known to one another. Three subjects were identified and arrested without incident a short time later. 

Marty Lee Fransen, 51, and Gabriel Justin Fransen, 25, both of Lethbridge, are charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. Both were remanded in custody to appear in court today. The third subject was released without charges. 

During the assault investigation, witnesses also reported two suspicious vehicles that had been observed in the area. Officers subsequently located one of the vehicles and initiated a traffic stop. The male driver and passenger were arrested and a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 633 doses of fentanyl, 627 doses of methamphetamine, just under $1,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia – scales and packaging.  Police also seized multiple weapons including a BB handgun, batons and knives, but it was determined the subjects were not involved in the original assault.

Matthew Douglas Dragland, 39, of Lethbridge is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, three counts of possession of a prohibited firearm/weapon and three counts of failing to comply with the conditions of a release order. Following a Judicial Interim Release hearing, Dragland was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court December 4. 

Jeremy Mackenzie Toth, 39, is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and three counts of failing to comply with a probation order. Toth was released from custody with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court December 11.