The man on trial for manslaughter in connection to last year's fatal Cactus Club altercation took the stand in his own defence on Thursday.
26-year-old Cory Van Gilder testified that he had just left the restaurant with a group of friends the night of February 17, 2016, when he noticed 30-year-old Zachary Gaudette approaching from the intersection of Highway 97 and Banks Rd, repeatedly yelling that he will "fight anyone".
Van Gilder said he became concerned for a female friend that was standing closer to Gaudette’s direction, so he stepped in front of her.
Gaudette took layers of his jacket off as he continued to get closer and yell that he would fight anyone, eventually heading towards a group of three younger men.
“I became very concerned for now them, as I felt as if this guy was going to attack someone. So I took a couple steps towards the direction he was headed as well, and as soon as I took those steps towards him, he had turned towards me, and as soon as he turned towards me, I hit him,” Van Gilder testified as he broke down in tears.
When asked what kind of force he used, Van Gilder said it wasn’t full force.
“It was, I guess, a normal punch. It wasn’t as hard as I could.”
He said his intention was to make Gaudette leave everyone alone because he didn’t want anyone to get hurt and he was worried Gaudette had a weapon.
Van Gilder left for Moxie’s with some of his friends after Gaudette fell to the ground, saying he felt the situation was diffused and didn’t want to “stick around” in case Gaudette got back up and tried to hurt someone.
“I didn’t think he was injured, not severely,” Van Gilder testified.
He said when he found out that Gaudette had been seriously injured, his “heart sank”, adding he couldn’t believe it.
When asked why he didn't walk to his friend’s car or go back inside the restaurant when he first noticed Gaudette, Van Gilder responded that it all happened instantaneously, estimating the whole incident took only 20 seconds.
Van Gilder, who has fought in one mixed martial arts competition, also rejected suggestions that he should have known his strength or used a diffusion tactic, instead of throwing a punch, because of his jiu-jitsu training.
Gaudette, who had arrived to Kelowna from Ontario just a few days before the incident, died in hospital just days later.
The trial by jury contiues.