A 25-year-old man faces charges after a 79-year-old man was pushed in Sidney. The charges stem from an incident on March 25 around noon when the older man was pushed to the ground as he left a business near Second Street and Beacon Avenue, say Sidney North Saanich RCMP.
“The 79 year-old-man from Sidney hit his head on the ground and was treated by ambulance at the scene as a precaution, with only minor injuries,” said spokesperson Cpl. Chris Swain.
Witnesses said the suspect pushed the elder man for no reason, then ran up Beacon Avenue.
“Before fleeing, the suspect also threatened a witness that had stopped to render assistance to the elderly man,” Swain said.
Despite extensive patrols, police were unable to locate the suspect.
Over the next few days, local RCMP spoke to witnesses and reviewed security camera footage from nearby businesses that captured footage of the suspect and his companion running away from the assault.
A North Saanich man known to police was arrested on March 29 and held for court on charges of assault and uttering threats.
“This appears to be a completely random assault and through the assistance of community members, witnesses and local businesses, a suspect was quickly identified and arrested for the assault,” Swain said.