Dashboard camera catches bizarre assault in Regina

An assault or maybe a drug deal gone haywire?

That’s the question after a bizarre incident in Regina last weekend was caught on a dashboard cam.

Kevin, who doesn’t want his last name used in fear of retribution from people in the video, was leaving the 7-Eleven convenience store on Hill Avenue with his wife and kids when he saw an altercation.

“There was a white car driving really fast and some guy trying to get into that car and it ended up hitting him and knocking him down and they crashed their car into the fence,” he said.

The video shows something – like part of the car’s door perhaps – flying off the vehicle.

“At that point we said, ‘let’s get out of here’ and we took off,” Kevin said.

His wife called police and they returned to provide witness statements and the video caught on their car’s dashboard camera.

“(The police) think it was a drug deal that just didn’t go down very well,” Kevin said.

If that’s what officers on the scene told the eyewitness, that’s not what police are saying now.

“It’s a little bit difficult to say because we haven’t yet located or identified the suspect,” said Elizabeth Popowich, Regina Police Service spokesperson.

What police have confirmed is that on the afternoon of Nov. 19, officers were called to an assault in progress at the corner of Hill Avenue and Montague Street.

“The report basically said two cars leaving the scene and there was a male who appeared to have either gotten out of one of the vehicles or perhaps had been partially struck by a vehicle and had fallen to the ground,” Popowich said.

She confirmed a 36-year-old man was interviewed by police and treated by EMS for minor injuries. He declined to go hospital.

“He was looking really disoriented when he got up,” Kevin said.

“Some people thought he was drunk but if you get knocked around like that, you’re going to be disoriented.”

Kevin said police told him the apparent victim didn’t want to press charges.

“But I’m wondering if he’s the one who should have the charges pressed against him – he was trying to get into that car.”

Police said the incident is still under investigation and no charges have been laid yet. Popowich said there was “fair amount of information” including witness statements, the dash cam video and a process to get additional video.