A 52-year-old U.S. citizen has pleaded guilty to one count of assault in connection with an “unusual” incident in which a mother and her two young sons were attacked while walking in White Rock.
According to Surrey Provincial Court records, Richard Anthony Peltier entered the plea last Wednesday and was sentenced to one day in jail for the offence.
Peltier had been in custody since Jan. 1, when police were alerted to the apparently random attack on the family as they walked in the 1400-block of 136 Street around 2:30 p.m.
“She didn’t even see it coming,” White Rock RCMP Sgt. Manly Burleigh said of the 35-year-old victim.
“He approached her from behind… pushed her to the ground, in the process also knocked over the three-year-old, attempted to take the stroller – I believe he was prevented from doing so – and thereafter tried to take the two-year-old from the stroller.”
Burleigh confirmed the incident Jan. 14, after an area resident called Peace Arch News.
Burleigh lauded neighbours who, alerted by the woman’s screams, came to her aide and detained the assailant until police arrived.
Burleigh said it is a mystery as to why the woman and her children were targeted.
Peltier was initially charged with three counts of assault and one charge of theft under $5,000. A stay of proceedings was issued on all but the one count of assault.
He was credited for time served and released.