Man faces 7-year sentence for shooting snowmobiler in head
Harold Wayne Hynes pleaded guilty of aggravated assault and careless use of a firearm
A Port au Port West man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for shooting a snowmobiler in the head almost two years ago on Newfoundland's west coast.
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man → face → coast
Justice Trina Simms sentenced Harold Wayne Hynes, 68, over Zoom from a Corner Brook courtroom late Monday afternoon over the shooting of Chad Hickey on Feb. 21, 2025.
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Simms → sentence → Feb.
“Obviously no sentence is justice enough for what Chad and our family has gone through in the last 20 months, but I am very happy that Justice Simms chose the maximum sentence the Crown presented," said Alex Hickey, Chad Hickey’s wife, who was in the courtroom Monday.
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who → go → courtroom
Hynes was arrested and charged with attempted murder, careless use of a firearm and aggravated assault on March 16, 2025.
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Hynes → arrest → March
Justice Simms noted the nature of the act itself — firing a shotgun — endangered Chad Hickey but also put the community in danger.
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nature → note → danger
The incident happened on Gravel's Pond, a small saltwater pond near Hynes' home where Hickey and his friend were crossing on a snowmobile.
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Hickey → happen → snowmobile
Hynes fired his shotgun from a window in his home, hitting Hickey in the head.
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Hynes → fire → head
Hickey, who wasn't wearing a helmet at the time, suffered a brain injury and underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments from his head.
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who → wear → head
He permanently lost the use of parts of his left side.
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He → lose → side
He spent 33 days in the hospital, followed by six weeks at the Miller Centre in St. John's for rehabilitation, where he had to re-learn how to dress himself and tie his shoes.
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he → spend → shoes
During that time, his now-wife Alex had their first child.
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wife → have → child
She got emotional when Hynes' sentence was read aloud in the courtroom.
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sentence → get → courtroom
Alex Hickey said.
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Hickey → say → ?
Alex Hickey says she's happy with the sentence Harold Wayne Hynes received but their family still lives with the impact of the shooting.
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family → say → shooting
Initially, Hynes pleaded not guilty to all charges but on July 20, he changed his plea to guilty of aggravated assault and careless use of a firearm.
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he → plead → firearm
The attempted murder charge was discharged and there was no trial.
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charge → attempt → ?
Chad Hickey told the court during the August sentencing hearing that his injuries robbed him of the opportunities to be a first-time father and he will never get that back.
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he → tell → that
He wasn't able to pick up his own child, buckle him into the car seat or feed him a bottle.
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He → pick → bottle
But thank God he is doing much much better and we are now able to live our new normal," said Alex Hickey.
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Hickey → thank → normal
Chad Hickey was not in the courtroom Monday because he was working, captaining a fishing boat.
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he → work → boat
He does have balancing issues and only one functioning hand, which prevents him from doing a lot of physical labour, but he does have accommodations on board.
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he → have → board
“He puts on a brave face," said Alex Hickey.
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Hickey → put → face
“He is back fishing which is his passion.
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which → fish → ?
Just because it seems that he is living a normal life, doesn't mean it comes without challenges."
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it → seem → challenges
He appeared by teleconference from the Bishop’s Falls Correctional Centre.
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He → appear → Centre
Hynes didn't show much emotion during his sentencing, appearing calm and looking at the screen.
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Hynes → show → screen
Hynes lived in Port au Port West but spent most of his life working away as a millwright.
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Hynes → live → millwright
He moved back in 2019 and he has no family.
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he → move → family
He sufferes from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has gotten worse since he was incarcerated.
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he → suffer → disease
He did apologize to the family during the sentencing hearing, but Alex Hickey says it means nothing.
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it → apologize → nothing
“I don't take it.
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I → take → it
He knows what he did.
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he → know → what
He knows what he did when he pulled the trigger.
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he → know → trigger
There are no words that could take that back, unfortunately," she said.
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she → be → that
Hynes faces a lifetime prohibition on using a firearm and he is not to have any communication with Hickey or his immediate family members.
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he → face → Hickey
Alex and Chad celebrated their wedding a month ago.
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Alex → celebrate → wedding
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