Victoria police arrested a man Friday morning after a cyclist was threatened with a knife after she removed a log blocking the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
The cyclist, who was not physically injured, fled on her bike and called police about 8:45 a.m. She said she had come across a log in the portion of the trail near Burnside Road that appeared to have been deliberately put there, so she got off her bike and started to remove the obstruction.
As she did that, a man jumped from the bushes and confronted her with a knife, so she sped away.
A suspect was located by police a short time later. The investigation is ongoing, and the suspect seems to resemble a man sought by Saanich police after an earlier Friday report about rocks being thrown at passing cyclists, Victoria police said.
The Saanich incident took place on the trail near the Switch Bridge by Uptown, said Saanich police Staff Sgt. Mark Muth.
“We did have a call at 7:40 a.m. of a male lining up rocks on the Goose and throwing them.”
Acting Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko said the trail is generally free of problems.
“The reality is we don’t get a lot of incidents on the Galloping Goose,” he said.
Osoko described the Victoria case as “odd.”
“It’s certainly concerning.”
He said the woman involved reacted just as she should have to the threat.
“She got herself safe and called us.”
The fact that an arrest was made should help ease any fears people may have about further problems, he said.
The suspect did not appear to be camping in the area, Osoko said.
Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society executive director Amelia Potvin expressed surprise at the incidents.
“It seems totally like a weird thing out of a movie,” Potvin said. “I would just like to think that it’s just one person that’s a one-off case, and nothing too targeted toward cyclists.
“I think that for the most part for trail users, as long as we all have mutual respect for one another, it works well out there.”
Being attentive helps cyclists deal with their surroundings, Potvin said.
“It’s super-important to be aware while you’re cycling, for your own personal safety and for the safety of others, of course,” she said. “We discourage, for instance, listening to music while you’re riding.”
Cindy Marven of WeBike, which focuses on cycling for women and families, said she doesn’t think what happened is indicative of the security of the Galloping Goose Trail.
Anyone with information is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
