Pubdate: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 Source: Red Deer Advocate (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 Red Deer Advocate Contact: http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2492 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?216 (CN Police) BAILIFF TELLS OF GOING TO SEIZE ROSZKO'S TRUCK EDMONTON (CP) - The bailiff who tried to repossess James Roszko's truck said the man cursed and simply drove away when he confronted him on his farm the day before four RCMP officers were shot and killed, CTV News reported Wednesday. Mark Hnatiw - one of the last people to speak with Roszko before he shot the officers and then killed himself last Thursday - says he wonders why he's still alive. The former prison guard said he approached Roszko at his farm near Mayerthrope with another bailiff last Wednesday after being given the task of repossessing Roszko's pickup truck. "Weasly little guy," the six-foot-three-inch, 250-pound Hnatiw told CTV in an interview. "He was a scared, weird, little guy." Roszko cursed at him, jumped into his truck and drove off, Hnatiw said, leaving two Rottweilers growling behind the padlocked gate. "That's when I said to my partner, 'this is getting weird,' " he said. They called the RCMP and within two minutes two officers arrived. After cutting the lock on the gate, Hnatiw and the officers pepper-sprayed the dogs and walked to Roszko's Quonset hut. He remembers seeing white truck parts and suspected Roszko might have taken the truck apart. "We're looking for booby traps, this guy's a criminal, who knows what we're going to find," he recalled. "I heard somebody call out, 'Smell that? It's a grow. There's a grow in here.' " They found about 120 mature and young marijuana plants, a few pounds of marijuana leaves and several cut-up vehicles. Hnatiw said he left soon after because the operation was now more than just repossessing a truck. Hnatiw recalled that Const. Brock Myrol, 29, arrived just before he left and was briefed for his overnight watch. Myrol was one of the officers found dead the next day. "Brock was playing close attention, and he didn't say too much, but. . . fine-looking young man. Shiny boots. Looked like a million bucks. Proud to be there," Hnatiw recalled before breaking down in tears. The next morning, Hnatiw found out that Roszko had slipped back onto the property and shot the four officers before killing himself. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager