SASKATOON — On the day his preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin, the Crown stayed aggravated assault charges against a 34-year-old man who was listed last year as one of Saskatchewan RCMP’s most wanted.
Prosecutor Ashley Fulton told Rosetown Circuit Court on March 12 that the Crown was entering a stay of proceedings on all five charges against Corey Lee Rushkewich in connection with a November 2023 assault in Rosetown that left a man in a medically induced coma.
A stay of proceedings means the charges are temporarily paused. The Crown can revive them within one year and prosecute Rushkewich again on the same charges, though that rarely happens. The Crown isn’t required to provide the court with a reason for staying charges.
In an email, Friday afternoon, Fulton said, "I can advise that the matter was stayed because it no longer met our prosecutorial standard."
The Crown didn't elaborate but when prosecution doesn't continue it generally points to evidence problems such as witnesses being unavailable or unwilling to participate, or the evidence has weakened.
Court heard that Rushkewich failed to appear for his preliminary hearing on these charges last year. The judge asked whether the Crown had been prepared to proceed at that time.
Fulton said, “I was not the Crown but my understanding is that the Crown witnesses were present, the majority of them. The indication was that we were prepared to proceed on that file.”
After court on Thursday, the victim’s mother, Alice, told SaskToday she was disappointed the charges had been stayed.
“I was disappointed that the witnesses did not show up, as they were there for the other brother,” she said.
Rushkewich’s brother, Randy Darcy Rushkewich, was also charged in the same incident. He was sentenced in July 2025 to 52 days in jail and 12 months of probation.
Corey Rushkewich has been in custody since his arrest on Sept. 8, 2025, by the Saskatchewan RCMP Enforcement Response Team (SERT). He had been added to the most wanted list in July 2025 based on the RCMP’s use of the Crime Severity Index, a Statistics Canada tool that measures both the volume and seriousness of crimes.
On March 12 Corey Rushkewich pleaded guilty to failing to appear in court for his previously scheduled preliminary hearing. As a result, the judge terminated Rushkewich’s 23-month Community Sentence Order (CSO) he was serving for prior convictions of two counts of driving while prohibited. He had 130 days left on that CSO, which he will now spend behind bars. In addition, he was sentenced to 20 days consecutive for failing to appear in court.
His defence lawyer, Sharon Fox, told the court that he has a Grade 9 education and is Métis. He spent much of his teenage years in foster care, moving through six or seven different homes. According to his lawyer, his mother surrendered him to social services while his two younger brothers remained at home, a decision that deeply affected him.
“It was quite impactful for him,” Fox said. “I think there was a deep sense of rejection flowing from being the only child sent to foster care while your siblings remained at home.”
At age 15, Rushkewich was electrocuted and hospitalized for a year, during which he had to relearn how to walk. After his release, he was still using a wheelchair. He reconnected with his brothers and became their caregiver for about two years, from ages 17 to 18.
During sentencing, court heard Rushkewich has a previous drug trafficking conviction and a minimal or sporadic employment history.
“You’re got a lengthy criminal record so I know that this isn’t the first time you’ve been before a judge who’s sentencing you,” the judge said. “So what I’m going to tell you might be old news, but you have the right to speak now if you’d like to. Is there anything you would like to say sir?”
Rushkewich said "no."
The judge continued, “Well sir, you have a very lengthy criminal record, as you are aware. I don’t see much in the way of gaps in that criminal record.”
The judge pointed out that Ruskewich acknowledged he has a drug and alcohol problem, adding, “I certainly hope that you’re able to get some programming while you’re in custody.”
Story updated to include comment from the Crown.
ljoy@sasktoday.ca
