Calgary

Bail hearing set for Lethbridge man charged with attempted murder, sexual assault

A man accused of randomly attacking and sexually assaulting a woman while she was walking to work in Lethbridge, Alta., now has a lawyer and will have a bail hearing early next month.

Injured woman remains in medically induced coma in Calgary hospital due to swelling on her brain

Denzel Dre Colton Bird, 20, of Lethbridge is accused of attacking and sexually assaulting a woman while she was walking to work in Lethbridge, Alta. earlier this year. (Facebook)

A man accused of randomly attacking and sexually assaulting a woman while she was walking to work in Lethbridge, Alta., now has a lawyer and will have a bail hearing early next month.

Denzel Dre Colton Bird, who is 20, is facing charges that include attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault.

Bird appeared Thursday morning in Lethbridge provincial court, where his case was adjourned to Nov. 3.

Police have said the 25-year-old woman was approached by a stranger early on the morning of Sept. 30 who allegedly struck her with a weapon before dragging her into an alley, where she was later discovered by a passerby.

Investigators have also said that items found close to the alleged victim had earlier been stolen from a nearby garage, where a homeowner found a man sleeping inside.

A posting Wednesday on a Facebook site says the woman remains in a medically induced coma in a Calgary hospital due to swelling on her brain, but she is breathing on her own and is being given low-dose medication to reduce pain.