B.C. man recalls the day he was shot in the back and had to run for his life

Wayne Belleville is sharing his story almost a year after he was robbed and shot in the back.

The man who shot him — Ronald Teneycke —  a violent rapist with a long rap sheet — pleaded guilty two weeks ago to discharging a firearm with intent to wound or disfigure and robbery using a firearm. 

The Crown is considering applying to have Teneycke declared a dangerous offender or have him designated as a long-term offender.

But Belleville believes he should have been charged with a more serious crime for what happened to him on July 22, 2015.

Belleve remembers the day all too well. It was a hot, summer morning in the Okanagan and he says he had risen early to drive about 40 kilometres from his home to harvest some wood. 

He was well off a main logging road when he encountered Teneycke. 

Belleville says Teneycke approached him and told him he was lost and had been wandering for days. He asked for a ride into town.

"I kind of gave him a quick appraisal. In my mind. He didn't look like he was in need of immediate medical care," said Belleville. 

Belleville told the man he had work to do, but if he still needed a ride after, he would pick him up.

Roughly three hours later, Belleville encountered the man again and gave him a ride.

"Almost immediately the conversation was very bizarre," said Belleville. He recalls Teneycke complaining about being framed for an explosives-related charge.

"My immediate thought was, who the ...  is this in my truck?" said Belleville. 

The conversation took a turn and the mood in the truck became tense, Belleville recalls.

"I asked him, who are you?"

"And he said, I'm Robert. I said, Robert who?"

"He said, Teneycke."

Teneycke shoots Belleville

Belleville said he immediately recognized the name and realized his passenger was a dangerous man with a long, criminal history.

"And I said, I know who you are and you have two choices right now. Either get out of my car immediately or I'll take you to the police," said Belleville re-enacting the moment on CBC's Daybreak South.

Teneycke began rattling through his back pack and produced a revolver, said Belleville. 

Belleville said he then slammed on the brakes and began running for the woods, nearly making it before hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes after a shot was fired. 

Teneycke then apparently approached Belleville to ask, "Where did I get ya?" before grabbing his keys and stealing his truck. 

A fragmented bullet had entered Belleville's body, puncturing his left lung. He says he could still see Teneycke aiming for him one more time, so he gathered all his strength and took off running. 

A few moments later, a vehicle driving westbound picked Belleville up and drove back to Oliver. 

Today, Belleville calls himself, "the luckiest unluckiest guy in the world." 

With files from the CBC's Daybreak South.

To hear the full story listen to the audio labelled: Shooting victim shares his story.