Slain restaurateur’s brother calls 911 response ‘disgusting’

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This article was published 06/02/2024 (608 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The brother of a St. James restaurant owner who died after a violent incident with a man now charged with manslaughter is angrily raising concerns about Winnipeg’s 911 service, asking for the city to investigate an alleged dispatch failing.

Kyriakos Vogiatzakis, 51, died after being assaulted during what Winnipeg police described as a “confrontation” at about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 24 outside his Portage Avenue restaurant, Cork & Flame.

Police said the 51-year-old was pushed to the ground and further assaulted until he lost consciousness. The incident was recorded by at least one surveillance camera.

Curtis Ross Dalebozik, 38, is charged with manslaughter and uttering threats.

The victim’s brother, Mike Vogiatzakis, expressed concerns on Tuesday about the response time of Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service personnel.

He said a cardiac defibrillator wasn’t working properly when his brother began receiving professional treatment at the scene.

“A lot of things failed my brother that night,” he said, calling for an inquiry into the dispatch and lashing out at city politicians for not reaching out to the mourning family and restaurant staff.

Mike Vogiatzakis said staff called 911 at 5:30 p.m., but the ambulance didn’t arrive until 25 minutes later, at which point the defibrillator wasn’t working, with its cords tangled up.

A police cruiser arrived at 5:46 p.m., followed by a second cruiser at 5:48 p.m., and then a fire paramedic vehicle at 5:49 p.m., the victim’s brother said, but none had defibrillators.

Another ambulance arrived seven minutes later with a defibrillator, said the victim’s brother.

He said he won’t know if his brother, who suffered a head injury, could have been kept alive with a defibrillator until he sees the autopsy results.

He also questioned why his brother was sent to the Health Sciences Centre rather than the nearby Grace Hospital, calling the 911 response “disgusting.”

“Let’s try to save the next person’s life,” he said.

But Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service spokeswoman Erin Madden said Tuesday that all the service’s equipment was operating correctly. She added that she hopes the family contacts the department directly with their concerns.

“We have procedures in place to address concerns, including debriefing and incident reviews by the WFPS medical director,” Madden said.

She said last week the initial call to the WFPS 911 centre came in at 5:37 p.m., after it was transferred from the Winnipeg Police Service dispatch, and units were sent out two minutes later.

The first crew, responding in a fire engine with a firefighter-paramedic on board, staged nearby until police confirmed it was safe to attend the scene. The crew arrived at 5:49 p.m. and began treating the victim.

The first ambulance arrived at 5:55 p.m., said Madden, while a second ambulance arrived for another medical incident at the same location. Mike Vogiatzakis said a restaurant staffer suffered a seizure while performing first aid on Kyriakos Vogiatzakis.

The WFPS didn’t confirm whether a defibrillator malfunctioned. Citing privacy legislation, Madden said the WFPS cannot reveal details of treatment provided to a patient.

However, she said, the fire engine and the two ambulances all had cardiac monitors capable of defibrillation.

Dalebozik, who has links to Morden and Carman, was staying at the Boulevard Motel, located next to the Cork & Flame, sources said.

Mike Vogiatzakis said his brother, staff and customers were approached or harassed by the suspect, who loitered in the area.

He said Kyriakos gave free meals to the suspect a couple of times to help him out.

Dalebozik was recently declared fit to stand trial on a mischief charge after psychiatric professionals determined he was suffering from unspecified psychosis.

He received probation in November, which he was accused of breaching shortly after he was sentenced. He has a record that includes court-order breaches, drug possession, possession of a weapon, uttering threats and obstructing or resisting a peace officer.

Referencing that history, Mike Vogiatzakis again expressed frustration and anger with the justice system and its failings Tuesday.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca