Coronation church arsonist changes plea to guilty
Stu Salkeld,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A trial for a man accused of burning down a Coronation church didn’t proceed as the accused changed his plea to guilty instead at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer Jan. 17.
Nickolas Guy Fortier appeared before Judge J.D. Holmes, and conversations overheard before court started suggested there would be no trial by judge alone and that Fortier planned to plead guilty, followed by adjournment.
Crown Prosector Davin Mitchell confirmed this was the case, presenting Judge Holmes with a written guilty plea and a statement from Fortier that he pled guilty to the charge of arson for burning down the Coronation Evangelical Free Church in 2023 and also agreed with material facts which led to Fortier’s charges.
Judge Holmes asked Fortier if he was pleading guilty, to which Fortier answered, “Yes.”
After the guilty plea was entered, Mitchell read aloud evidence that would have been used in the judge-alone trial that was originally scheduled.
It was noted Coronation and Consort RCMP responded to a 911 complaint of a structure fire at the Evangelical Free Church in the Town of Coronation on Tues. Sept. 5, 2023. Fortier set fire to the church using gasoline, destroying the structure and threatening nearby buildings.
The crown stated Fortier then went to the Coronation RCMP detachment and said, among other things, “The apocalypse is here.”
The crown also read other statements Fortier had made or written related to the incident, including a number where he claimed to be God. “I am God on earth,” Fortier was alleged to have written. “The Bible surrounds me.” Fortier also claimed he was Jesus’ sibling or “triplet.”
Crown Prosecutor Mitchell stated that when RCMP arrested the suspect Fortier told them he was Jesus Christ reincarnated.
After hearing the evidence Judge Holmes asked Fortier if that’s what happened to which Fortier answered, “Yes.”
The crown noted it was seeking a forensic psychiatric evaluation of Fortier before he was sentenced. Fortier’s lawyer David Reeves noted this could take months and asked for the case to be adjourned.
Judge Holmes then asked, “What about victim impact statements?” The crown prosecutor stated that victims may have already submitted their statements, but if they didn’t there was time enough for that before Fortier was sentenced which according to statements made at court would be no earlier than March.
The judge decided that Fortier would undergo a forensic psychiatric evaluation in Calgary, and advised Fortier he would be getting a phone call with the details and that Fortier should promptly follow those instructions.
The exact date of Fortier’s sentencing was left undetermined. Fortier’s other charge, mischief over $5,000, was dropped.
Damage estimate for the church, including an insurance claim and building codes requirements, is about $1.4 million.
