Trial of U.S. citizen Donald Lawrence Hass in connection with the highway shooting of city accountant Gerry Braden went into its final stages this afternoon.

Hass, a 39-year old welder from Orillia, Washington was charged August 6 with unlawfully discharging a firearm causing bodily harm to G.A. Braden. Police said the gun used was a .38 special revolver. The shooting apparently took place Sunday about 3 p.m. near Mile 855.

Hass was on his way to Alaska, accompanied by his 16-year old daughter Angela and 18-year old son Vernon Wayne. Gerry Braden was traveling from Watson Lake to Whitehorse, with Watson Lake resident Hazel Cole, Melvina Isbister and Lyle Fisher. Mr. Braden was driving a 1961 Volkswagen, owned by Miss Cole.

First witness called yesterday was Braden. He said that as he approached Squanga Lake Lodge he saw a large black Oldsmobile sedan just leaving the lodge. It proceeded north at about 45 miles an hour.

Mr. Braden said he wanted to pass the black car but, each time he tried to pass, the other driver speeded up. He finally was able to pass but noticed, immediately afterward, the other car was following close behind.

After driving about 75 miles an hour for some distance, Mr. Braden said, he was certain he heard a gun fired and when he looked back he saw what appeared to be a rifle sticking out of the window of the following vehicle. He then became frightened and slowed down to let the other car pass, but when the dust settled, he saw the car stopped and two men got out.

Mr. Braden said he noticed the other driver lower his arms as though pointing a gun. This scared Mr. Braden still more and he speeded up to pass the other car. He estimated the gun was fired when the Volkswagen was within 25 feet of the Oldsmobile.

Mr. Braden said he didn't see the gun fired but that one of his passengers was hit with flecked glass and he realized he had been hit himself.

Said Mr. Braden, "I saw a lot of blood running out of me. There was no thought of stopping in my mind." He drove on for about half a mile, then realized he couldn't out-distance the black car so he stopped because he was afraid the other driver might fire again, possibly damaging the car or the occupants.

HANDS UP

When he stopped, Mr. Braden said the other driver came right beside him and stopped in the center of the road: Gerry went on, "The driver came up to me with his gun, I put my hands up and said, "What in hell do you want?" and he said, "I just want you." I stammered something and he said, "You bastard, you ran me off the road." I said I did not and then he said something like "Oh my gosh, did I hit you?" He asked me to go ahead but I refused and said, "You go ahead" and he did, very rapidly.

Cross-examined by defense lawyer Darrel Collins, Mr. Braden admitted he was known to be a fast driver and stated he had traveled at 75 miles an hour along the Alaska Highway.

HASS STATEMENT

Next to give evidence was a police constable who related taking a statement from Hass, after he was apprehended in a road block near Mile 904. When the car was searched, police discovered two rifles, a shot-gun and two revolvers. Asked why he fired the gun, Hass told the police, "I was attempting to stop them to learn the driver's identity. I might add that I shot at the road in front of the Volkswagen."

Dr. J.C. Hibberd testified he treated Mr. Braden for a bullet wound in the neck. The doctor said he removed an expended bullet which had lodged about one-quarter of an inch above the collarbone and appeared to have entered from the right, diagonally on a horizontal line. The doctor added the bullet had barely missed the major artery on that side of Mr. Braden's neck.

Other witnesses called yesterday included Miss Isbister and Mr. Fisher, whose testimony closely followed that given by Mr. Braden earlier.

YOUNG HASS ON STAND

This morning Vernon Wayne Hass took the stand. He said the Volkswagen had cut in front of his father's car, forcing it into a shallow ditch and spraying rocks which pitted the windshield. His father wanted to catch the other driver, to get his license with the idea of having the insurance company pay for the windshield.

Young Hass said he was wearing a .32 automatic in a holster on his hip and also had a 30-30 Winchester. He said he wanted to "pop the tire" on the Volkswagen but his father wouldn't let him do that.

Defense counsel Darrell Collins maintained there was no intent to wound involved in the case. He said his client only wanted to stop the other car and had fired the shot as a warning.

Judge Parker this afternoon found Ronald Hass guilty as charged and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment in the B.C. Penitentiary, with the recommendation that immediately as the term was up Hass be deported. The Judge also recommended that Hass' son Vernon Wayne be deported immediately and that neither Hass nor his son be allowed to enter Canada again.