Vancouver tow truck driver threatened with hammer, window smashed

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A man who confronted a tow truck driver with a hammer in Vancouver on Monday has been arrested and could face charges.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. at a shopping plaza on Kingsway near Boundary Road and was caught on camera by a bystander.

A silver BMW sedan was about to be towed from the parking lot.

A man dressed in black, allegedly an employee of a juice bar at the mall, can be seen arguing with the driver of the tow truck, who remained in his vehicle.

A voice can be be heard telling the man to “chill out” as he walked past.

“I have a weapon. No problem,” the man says before going back inside a business and returning with a hammer.

He then uses it to smash the tow truck driver’s side window, which shattered. He next kicked the driver’s side door.

A Vancouver tow truck driver is taking some time off work after a violent encounter with a hammer-wielding man. @CityNewsTravis tells us what led to the altercation.

MORE: https://t.co/GYMLxTvo1q @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/3PKkO4MrAF

— CityNews 1130 Vancouver (Inactive) (@news1130) July 15, 2020

“Get the cops here right now,” the driver can be heard shouting.

The bystander who recorded the incident said lasted about 10 minutes.

Vancouver Police arrived and arrested the man who had the hammer.

VPD confirmed the man could face charges of assault with a weapon, possession of a dangerous weapon, uttering threats, and mischief.

“I had a chance to review the video and it was an act of violence,” said Const. Tania Visintin. “So any time an act of violence occurs, we are very concerned. It was broad daylight. There were plenty of people around. Thankfully, nobody was injured.”

“You do get people who are irate and verbally abusive,” said Mark Onaba, manager of Drake Towing. “This one was here a little bit over the top.”

Onaba added the driver was following instructions from the property owner to tow the vehicle, which he said was in violation of the parking rules.

Onaba was pleased the driver didn’t escalate the situation.

“The big misconception is that we are out there like predators, looking for cars to tow, and that’s not quite the case,” he said. “The individual was parked in the wrong spot and we got called to come out and pick up the car.”

Onaba said the driver is taking a few days off work to recoup.

“Physically, he’s fine. But physiologically, he ‘s pretty shaken up.”

Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to call Vancouver police.