Abbotsford bus assault: 4 hurt, Surrey man charged after riders restrain suspect
Posted April 26, 2022 3:27 pm.
Last Updated April 26, 2022 7:39 pm.
A man from Surrey has been charged with assault after a verbal conflict with passengers on a bus in Abbotsford escalated to violence over the weekend.
Footage of the incident on a BC Transit bus shows a man shouting and swearing at passengers. In the 10-minute video, the man is heard yelling at someone off-camera about them calling the police.
“If you weren’t a chick, I’d punch your f****** head in right now,” he said.
The bus was stopped on Highway 1 westbound at Whatcom Road when the events played out shortly before 4:30 p.m Sunday. According to Abbotsford police, the report they received was of an “intoxicated, assaultive passenger.”
At the end of the video, the man stands up and walks to the back of the bus, challenging passengers who told him to get off the bus.
He then begins punching a seated passenger, seemingly hitting him in the face. He then kicked him.
“Whoa, back off!” a rider is heard saying. “No! You do not need to touch him.”
The man faced the person taking the video before turning to other passengers and swinging more punches.
That’s when more riders stepped in, wrestled the man to the ground, and worked together to restrain him until police arrived.
“Upon police arrival, the suspect continued to resist, which required additional officers to assist in his arrest,” Abbotsford police said in a statement.
In all, four people were assaulted, and suffered minor injuries, but police say it could have been a lot worse had the riders not intervened.
David Allen Lucas of Surrey has been charged with one count of assault with a weapon and three counts of assault. It’s unclear from the video what the weapon may be.
The 45-year-old has been released from custody with conditions.
“The AbbyPD and BC Transit personnel continue to work together to ensure that the transit system within the Abbotsford area remains safe for the public. Incidents like this are rare. We are grateful for the actions of these citizens who intervened, likely preventing further passengers from being injured,” said Const. Paul Walker with Abbotsford police.
If you witnessed this incident and haven’t yet spoken with investigators, you’re asked to call 604-859-5225.
