RCMP are looking for witnesses after two dragonboaters were bear-sprayed by a motorist in downtown Nanaimo.
According to police, the incident happened Sunday, July 10 at about 1:30 p.m.
Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said the couple, who are in their early 60s and were in town from the Lower Mainland to participate in the weekend festival, were walking south on Cliff Street when a driver in a silver car started yelling at them for walking on the road.
According to an RCMP press release, the male pedestrian responded to the driver that there were no sidewalks and that it was relatively quiet street. The couple carried on, but seconds later, the same driver pulled up next to them. The first thing they saw was a mist of bear-spray being discharged at them. The male pedestrian took the brunt of it in his face, while his wife got some on her lips.
“The driver swore at both of them and then produced what was later determined to be a can of bear spray,” O’Brien said. “The driver deployed the bear spray, striking the husband in the left side of his face and body and also contaminated [his wife] to a lesser degree.”
The vehicle fled westbound on Campbell Street and a witness managed to take a picture of its license plate with his cell phone and later provided this to police.
“The [car’s] registered owner is denying any involvement, so we are following up and looking for witnesses,” O’Brien said.
The suspect driver is a man in his mid- to late-20s who was driving an older-model silver compact car. The victims were unable to provide a description of the suspect’s clothing.
Both victims were treated at the scene by B.C. Ambulance paramedics.
O’Brien said their attacker could face a charge of assault with a weapon.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and quote file No. 2022-23707.
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