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Kelowna  

Man beaten in Rotary Marsh

A 55-year-old Kelowna man is facing potential assault charges after an unusual altercation involving two men, a woman, two dogs and a pig.

According to RCMP, a 25-year-old Kelowna man was walking his pet dog and pig at Rotary Marsh the afternoon of Feb. 7 when he got into a verbal argument with a 26-year-old Kelowna woman who was also walking her dog.

Police say the man and woman were not known to each other and they are not sure what triggered the argument. The man was allegedly extremely rude and verbally aggressive to the woman – grabbing onto her arm at one point during their interaction. 

The woman then went back to her car, where a family member was waiting. Police say she was visibly upset, so the man got out of the car and went back to confront the younger man.

The two got into a physical altercation.

“Several witnesses on the scene reported seeing a victim being physically assaulted by an unknown male suspect,” said Const. Jesse O'Donaghey. “The suspect allegedly striking the victim in the face multiple times. The commotion attracted a lot of attention.”

O'Donaghey says the woman and several witnesses attempted to pull the 55-year-old man off the younger man, and in the process the younger male may have been bitten by the woman's dog.

An anonymous witness told Castanet the young man was severely beaten, and was bitten by the malamute dog.

"The victim suffered what police consider to be serious facial injuries, as well as multiple apparent dog bites as a result of this altercation," said O'Donaghey. 

The suspects then fled in their vehicle.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene and were able to get a licence plate number from a witness.

They tracked the vehicle and arrested the 55-year-old man on Feb. 9.

He is now facing potential charges of assault causing bodily harm. He was released pending his next court date on May 9.



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