A dispute over an off-leash dog allegedly led to a man being assaulted with a six-foot pole.
James Olson took his border collie Max out for a late-night walk Wednesday when a man on the street apparently took exception to the dog being off-leash. Olson said Max is friendly and approached a man wearing a cowboy hat.
含羞草研究社淪o he starts yelling at me to 含羞草研究社榞et your f-n含羞草研究社� dog away from me含羞草研究社� and I含羞草研究社檓, like relax, man, he含羞草研究社檚 just trying to say hello.含羞草研究社�
The encounter deteriorated into a verbal exchange with the passerby hurling insults.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 like, 含羞草研究社榖uddy, you need to chill out含羞草研究社� and then I made a comment about his cowboy hat. I said 含羞草研究社榠t含羞草研究社檚 2020, maybe lose the cowboy hat,含羞草研究社� and that was our last words,含羞草研究社� Olson said. 含羞草研究社淭he next thing you know, maybe less than five minutes later, he含羞草研究社檚 come all the way down around the building and around the parking lot, swinging a pole at me.含羞草研究社�
The man also allegedly tried to swing the pole at the dog. When Olson pulled his cell phone out to call 911, his attacker allegedly smashed the phone out of his hand with the pole.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e never seen an iPhone with a bend in it, but mine is bent,含羞草研究社� he said.
Along with the damaged phone, Olson said he suffered a concussion, when the stick deflected off his arm and struck him in the head.
This wasn含羞草研究社檛 Olson含羞草研究社檚 first experience with aggression from people while walking his dog since he moved to Nanaimo from White Rock last year. There was another incident, he said, when he was walking his dog along Prideaux Street and a man, living in a van, stormed out of the vehicle with a baseball bat.
含羞草研究社淭o me, as somebody coming in from the outside and now seeing this, it含羞草研究社檚 like this underlying mentality that含羞草研究社檚 going on out here,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲ith the fellow with the baseball bat, I was just walking through a parking lot with my dog 含羞草研究社� and the guy came out just swinging a baseball bat. I had to jump back and keep my dog back and after a few minutes I managed to talk the guy down,含羞草研究社� he said.
As for the assault with the pole, Olson said he made posters from some video stills with information about the assault and a request for witnesses to bring their information to police. Olson said his assailant lives in a nearby apartment building.
Nanaimo RCMP have confirmed an investigator has spoken with the suspect, but so far have not recommended charges. The investigation is still open and police will be reviewing video security footage.
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
photos@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow us on
