Crown Counsel has approved a charge of assault with a weapon after a man allegedly struck a woman on the head with a large piece of wood at Kits Beach.
On June 28, just before 2:00 p.m., the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) received several 911 calls after witnesses reported seeing a man pick up a piece of wood and strike an apparently unsuspecting woman on the head. She was walking along the beach with her partner when the stranger allegedly struck from behind.
Witnesses described the weapon as a piece of lumber or driftwood about the size and thickness of a baseball bat.
The woman’s companion intervened, and several witnesses came to assist. Other witnesses followed the suspect and called 911.
Minutes after the incident, Vancouver Police arrested Carlos Caldera Duarte inside a dollar store near the beach. The victim, who was bleeding from the head and slipping in and out of consciousness, was taken to hospital for treatment. She is expected to recover.
Carlos Caldera Duarte has been charged with one count of assault with a weapon.
“This appears to be an unprovoked assault in a busy public place,” said Sgt. Adam Donaldson of the Vancouver Police Department. “We’re grateful to the witnesses who intervened, followed the suspect, and provided critical information to police.”
