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.
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.
“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.
Hynes was arrested and charged with attempted murder, careless use of a firearm and aggravated assault on March 16, 2025.
Justice Simms noted the nature of the act itself — firing a shotgun — endangered Chad Hickey but also put the community in 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. Hynes fired his shotgun from a window in his home, hitting Hickey in the 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. He permanently lost the use of parts of his left 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.
During that time, his now-wife Alex had their first child. She got emotional when Hynes’ sentence was read aloud in the courtroom.
“It was a really difficult time, me being eight months pregnant, for our family, our whole community.” Alex Hickey said.
Alex Hickey says she’s happy with the sentence Harold Wayne Hynes received but their family still lives with the impact of the shooting. (Colleen Connors/CBC)
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. The attempted murder charge was discharged and there was no trial.
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.
“It was really really hard at first. He wasn’t able to pick up his own child, buckle him into the car seat or feed him a bottle. But thank God he is doing much much better and we are now able to live our new normal,” said Alex Hickey.
Chad Hickey was not in the courtroom Monday because he was working, captaining a fishing 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.
“He puts on a brave face,” said Alex Hickey. “He is back fishing which is his passion. Just because it seems that he is living a normal life, doesn’t mean it comes without challenges.”
Hynes was not in the courtroom either. He appeared by teleconference from the Bishop’s Falls Correctional Centre. Hynes didn’t show much emotion during his sentencing, appearing calm and looking at the screen.
Hynes lived in Port au Port West but spent most of his life working away as a millwright. He moved back in 2019 and he has no family. He sufferes from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has gotten worse since he was incarcerated.
He did apologize to the family during the sentencing hearing, but Alex Hickey says it means nothing.
“I don’t take it. He knows what he did. He knows what he did when he pulled the trigger. There are no words that could take that back, unfortunately,” she said.
Hynes faces a lifetime prohibition on using a firearm and he is not to have any communication with Hickey or his immediate family members.
Alex and Chad celebrated their wedding a month ago. Their son is now 18-months-old.
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