Man charged in assault

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Edmonton police took only a week to lay charges in connection with the alleged assault of North of 60 star Dakota House.

On Oct. 19, the 23-year-old actor was found lying in a pool of blood in a hallway of the river-front apartment building where he lives.

He was rushed to Edmonton's University Hospital with injuries to his head, face and upper body. The alleged beating left him with a severe skull fracture. He remained in the neurological ward of the hospital in serious condition. Several days later, he was released.

Edmonton police spokesperson Sgt. Bryan Boulanger said an investigation showed the victim was attending a social function in an apartment in the same building when an altercation occurred.

Moving outside the suite, the victim is believed to have been hit with a wooden club. When the victim fell to the floor, the attacker continued the alleged assault, striking the victim several more times. Police have recovered a wooden club believed to be the assault weapon.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested a 22-year-old male acquaintance of the victim at a west-end Edmonton home on Oct. 28.

The accused appeared before a justice of the peace on Oct. 29. He was released pending a trial date.

House, who plays TeeVee Tenia, on the CBC television's weekly series about the people of Lynx River, a fictional Native community dealing with social problems and change, could not be reached for comment.

The alleged assault fell between filming of the series, which is shot in Bragg Creek.