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Richard Suter Says He Was Attacked By Men Posing As Police

Accused Drunk Driver Says He Was Abducted, Thumb Cut Off

Richard Suter, an Edmonton man charged in an impaired driving case that killed a toddler, says he was abducted, beaten and had his thumb cut off last week by men posing as police officers.

The attack began last Thursday when Suter, 64, said he was taken from his home in the middle of the night by three men.

“They identified themselves as police and it looked like they were wearing SWAT outfits," Suter explianed to CTV News, adding that the abductors said he needed to come with them.

Wearing just his bathrobe, socks and snow boots, Suter said he was handcuffed and taken to a truck, where a bag was put over his head.

"Within three or four minutes of leaving here, they took the sack off, making me close my eyes and then they put a blindfold over me," he told Global News.

After driving for approximately 20 mintues, Suter said the truck stopped and he was forced outside into a snowbank.

Speaking with CBC News, Suter said he was expecting "a bullet in the back of my head."

Instead, the men began fiddling with with the handcuffs. They freed his left hand and used tools to cut off his thumb.

"It was very painful. They tried to do it twice and I think the first time, I don’t know if it was a different implement, but it didn’t work, so it was just kind of grinding away. And then they had another implement which I assumed were shears because it cut fairly – I wouldn’t say easily; it hurt like hell – but it was done fairly quickly," he told Global.

Suter said he passed out from the pain and woke up in a field, his face and body bloodied and bruised from a beating.

He was able to flag down a passing car and get help.

In 2013, Suter was charged after his SUV plowed through a restaurant patio, killing two-year-old Geo Mounsef.

Police said Suter was stopped in the parking lot outside Ric's Grill in Terwillegar, when he shifted into drive instead of reverse.

He is awaiting trial in October on charges of impaired driving causing death and three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm.

Mounsef's mother, Sage, condemned the alleged attack on Facebook over the weekend.

"Justice for Geo will not come in the form of violence. Our family remains hopeful and entrusting of the legal system to bring Justice for Geo.

"It is utterly heartbreaking to have our Baby Geo’s memory associated with this horrible act of violence," she wrote.

Suter told Global News this is the second attack on his family since he was charged with the alleged drunk-driving death. He said his wife was assaulted in a parking lot in August 2013.

"I feel afraid for myself and my family. I am just trying to be calm as I can about the whole thing and try to think rationally what the right thing to do is about it," he told CTV News, adding he's not sure if the attacks are related to the charges.

"There is no reason why anybody would do this to me in how I conduct my daily life and so on. I am just a retired guy."

The Edmonton Police Service have confirmed they are investigating, but said they do not have any suspects at this time.

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