Woman assaulted with wood at Kits Beach; suspect charged
A man was arrested after allegedly striking an unsuspecting woman on the head with a large piece of driftwood during a busy Sunday afternoon.
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A woman suffered significant injuries after being struck on the head with a large piece of wood at Kits Beach on Sunday, June 28, and her attacker has been charged.
Crown Counsel approved a charge of assault with a weapon against Carlos Caldera Duarte. The incident took place just before 2 p.m. The Vancouver Police Department received multiple 911 calls from witnesses who reported seeing a man pick up a piece of lumber or driftwood about the size and thickness of a baseball bat and strike an apparently unsuspecting woman.
The victim was walking along the beach with her partner when the attacker allegedly struck her from behind. Her partner intervened, as did several witnesses. 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.
Minutes after the incident, Vancouver Police arrested Caldera Duarte inside a dollar store near the beach. VPD Sergeant Adam Donaldson said the stranger assault in a busy public place appears to have been unprovoked. "We're grateful to the witnesses who intervened, followed the suspect, and provided critical information to police," he said.
