A dispute over a parking spot in the Woodgrove Centre parking lot, near Wal-Mart, turned violent with both bear spray and a tire iron used. (Google Street View)

By Alex Rawnsley

violent incident

Bear spray & tire iron used in parking space dispute at Nanaimo mall

May 21, 2024 | 12:44 PM

NANAIMO — Two drivers aiming for the same parking space resulted in a serious situation over the May long weekend.

Local RCMP, along with BC Emergency Health Services and Nanaimo Fire Rescue were called to the Woodgrove Centre parking lot near Wal-Mart around 12:45 p.m. on Monday, May 20 after bear spray and a tire iron were used in a largely verbal fight over a parking space.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said a family of six, including four young children aged one to six, were in one car while a man in his 60s was driving another.

“[The] family was trying to park their truck and boat, and in doing so they were impeded by another man driving a dark-coloured (SUV resembling a) Hummer. Two men got out and there was a verbal dispute at which one point the driver of the Hummer produced a can of bear spray and sprayed the man, with secondary spray hitting the children.”

In response to being bear sprayed, the man reached for a tire iron and proceeded to smash a window on the SUV.

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O’Brien noted the driver of the SUV left the scene, while the other man and his family remained to be treated by paramedics for exposure to the bear spray.

“This was not necessary, cooler heads could have prevailed and in this case someone could have been seriously injured.”

Investigators are trying to piece together exactly what occurred and are hoping to identify and speak with the driver of the SUV to get his version of events.

He’s described as Caucasian, in his 60’s with grey hair and wearing a green shirt at the time of the incident.

No license plate on the SUV was recorded.

O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW police only have statements from the wife of the man bear sprayed and need to corroborate certain details before any charges are considered for either party.

“It’s still under investigation, there’s always the possibility of charges. What we’re looking for is to speak to the driver of the hummer and get his version of events. We don’t have any independent witnesses who saw it and can tell us what happened.”

Anyone with information on the incident, or the identity of the SUV driver is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250 754 2345, quoting file number 2024-15742.

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