Courtenay, British Columbia – A 67-year-old man is recovering from significant injuries following a violent attack in a public park. Authorities are labeling the incident a “brutal and senseless assault on a vulnerable member of our community,” emphasizing the troubling circumstances surrounding the attack.
The altercation occurred Sunday morning at approximately 11:35 a.m. in Lewis Park, which is located close to downtown Courtenay. The accused, a 29-year-old man with a history of violent offenses and one prior conviction dating back to 2019, has been charged with aggravated assault and robbery. He remains in custody ahead of his upcoming court date.
Serge Melancon described the harrowing experience, explaining that he was parked in his vehicle with his wife, Deirdre, when approached by a man requesting to use their phone to call emergency services for an alleged overdose nearby. While Melancon agreed to help, the situation quickly escalated when the stranger insisted on taking the phone himself. When Melancon refused, a violent scuffle broke out.
“He opened the door and began to hit me,” Serge recounted, detailing how he attempted to maintain composure even as the vehicle was in motion and only his foot on the brake was keeping it from rolling.
As the assailant pressed closer, Deirdre, a double amputee at 64, intervened to protect her husband. “I took off my seatbelt, got on the floor, and started hitting him over the head with my coffee cup,” she explained. After the cup shattered, she resorted to using a small fan to defend herself and Serge against the attacker.
The assault turned even more violent when the man yanked Serge out of the vehicle, causing damage to the doors. “He pulled him out of the bus so violently he actually bent the door,” Deirdre said. Serge recalled seeing an unsettling calm in the assailant’s demeanor during the attack. “There was no emotion in this. He was just focused on what he was doing,” he stated.
After Serge fell, the assailant ceased the beatings and walked away. Police arrived shortly thereafter, discovering an older man with visible injuries to his face. “We are grateful to witnesses who stepped forward to help and provided critical information that led to the quick arrest of the suspect,” said Insp. Scott Mercer of the local RCMP.
The couple reported that the entire ordeal lasted about five minutes. Serge was treated in the hospital for facial injuries, as well as wounds to his knee and body, before returning home to Campbell River.
They were at the park merely by chance, having stopped to use the accessible facilities after camping on nearby Denman Island. “It was so random; nobody can be mad at anybody, basically,” Serge remarked, reflecting on the sheer unpredictability of the situation.
As the community processes this shocking act of violence, the couple is left to navigate the consequences of an encounter that seemingly came out of nowhere, emphasizing both their gratitude for those who assisted them and the ongoing concerns regarding safety in public spaces.