Owen Sound Man Charged in Stabbing While on Release for Fatal Hit-and-Run and Second Dangerous Driving Case
Devon Desborough, 22, faces three new charges after a May 25 downtown stabbing. He was on release in two separate Criminal Code files at the time.
Owen Sound police have charged Devon Desborough, 22, with three Criminal Code offences following a stabbing in the 900 block of 2nd Avenue East on the afternoon of May 25, 2026. Court records obtained by the Owen Sound Current show Desborough was on release in two separate prosecutions at the time of the alleged offence, including the fatal May 10, 2025 hit-and-run that killed an Owen Sound man.
According to a media release issued by the Owen Sound Police Service (OSPS) on May 26, officers responded at approximately 3:15 p.m. to reports of an assault with a weapon in progress.
Police say witnesses were detaining the suspect when officers arrived, and that a knife was seized at the scene. A female victim was located nearby with what police described as stab and slash wounds.
Grey County Emergency Medical Services transported her to Brightshores Hospital, where, according to police, she was treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Police have not released the victim’s name, age, or any information about her relationship, if any, to the accused. OSPS describes the incident as isolated and says there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Desborough faces the following charges from the May 25 incident:
Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
Assault with a Weapon
Assault Causing Bodily Harm
He was held for a bail hearing scheduled for May 26, 2026.
On Release in Two Separate Files
Court documents confirm Desborough was bound by two separate release orders at the time of the May 25 incident.
The first file relates to the May 10, 2025 collision in which a pedestrian was struck and killed in the city’s lower southeast end. Desborough faces charges of Dangerous Operation Causing Death and Fail to Stop at an Accident Resulting in Death. A publication ban under s.517(1) of the Criminal Code applies to this file. The ban prohibits the publication of evidence, information, or representations made at a bail hearing, but does not restrict reporting on the charges themselves, court appearances, or the eventual trial.
The second file relates to a separate incident alleged to have occurred on May 1, 2025 — nine days before the fatal collision. Desborough faces charges of Dangerous Operation and Fail to Stop at an Accident. The Crown has elected to proceed by indictment, and a trial is scheduled to begin November 18, 2026.
The OSPS media release on the May 25 stabbing describes Desborough as having been “previously released on bail from the courts on other serious charges.”
Court records show one of the two releases was ordered by a judicial officer, while the other was an Undertaking entered into with police prior to a first court appearance.
None of the allegations against Desborough on any of the three files has been tested in court. He is presumed innocent.
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