They call this accused assailant “The Puncher” because of his alleged penchant for striking unsuspecting victims in the head with his fist as they walk by and are at their most vulnerable.
Two of his alleged victims this time were women and one was a man. Bleeding of the brain can come from a blunt shot to the skull or from the cranium smashing the sidewalk below. You don’t have a chance when you are being sucker punched.
“I went down hard,” recalls Mary, an alleged victim of The Puncher. “I didn’t know what hit me or what happened, but I just fell to the sidewalk.”
In this case, he was called The Puncher but there are many punchers. And many victims. As we have reported, sometimes these victims of sucker punchers die.
Former CBC producer Michael Finlay is an example.
The surprise punchout game, often hurled out by someone under the influence of substances or suffering from mental health issues, is not new on urban streets. These kinds of crimes happen in all corners of the city.
Mary’s attack allegedly occurred on Feb. 23 at about 6 p.m. on the west sidewalk on Spadina Ave. between Queen and Richmond Sts.
She was heading north after doing some shopping. The alleged puncher was heading south. Having done some shopping and carrying some bags, Mary was defenseless.
“He hit me in the temple,” she said. “It was so hard I saw black. I was knocked out by the sucker punch.”
Mary was not first alleged victim of a rampage allegedly committed by The Puncher, nor was she his last alleged victim. The alleged first victim was a man no one knows much about. People say they saw him get punched and never saw him again. The other alleged victim was a 29-year-old single mom.
And of course, Mary, who says she feels lucky to be alive.
“He left me there for dead,” she said.
Mary says the wallop to her skull left her she was seeing stars.
Others say they saw the path of destruction left behind with the three alleged assaults in a one-block area.
Officers from 14 Division arrested a suspect at the corner of King St. W. and Spadina Ave. and charged him with two counts of assault. If they find the man who was allegedly hit, police may lay a third charge.
“I hope he’s okay,” said Mary.
Mary said she hasn’t been well.
“I was passing out later on the streetcar,” she said. “I went to the hospital and had (CT) scans and MRIs and they determined I had suffered a serious concussion.”
Mary said she hasn’t felt right since and it has taken her months to feel semi-normal – and she’s still paralyzed with fear.
For example, Mary was supposed to meet both myself and photographer Jack Boland at Clarence Square Park when we covered a news conference about the three-year-old homeless encampment on Wednesday.
“I am frozen and can’t go there,” she said. “I am afraid I am going to see him there.”
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Mary said she has a form of post-traumatic stress disorder where she wonders if her alleged attacker could harm her again. In asking for a full review of this case, Toronto Police Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said it’s important police don’t let these cases fade into bureaucratic holes, leaving victims feeling lost or alone.
But justice is not swift.
Tyler Michael Warcholyk, 37, of no fixed address, faces two counts of assault.
The allegations have not been tested in court and he is innocent until proven guilty. All courtesies are extended to a person before the courts because these cases have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt
Meanwhile, Mary said she has not been extended courtesies or justice.
“I may lose my place to live now because I have not been able to work,” she said. “The damage really affected me. I was in a fog.”
It has put her life in limbo.
“I don’t even know if he is going to trial,” Mary said. “I have not heard from anybody about testifying.”
Her hero and witness, Sarah, said no one has contacted her about testifying either.
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The Toronto Sun has learned the problem is the accused has had a bench warrant ordered for his arrest for allegedly not appearing in court on this matter. This makes things very uncomfortable for his alleged victims who know he’s out there somewhere. It’s a cold reality for victims or alleged victims of violence.
“My dear friend deserves some form of justice and in Canada it appears as if the only way is through the media (since) the Canadian injustice system is so broken,” said Cait Alexander, founder of EVE (End Violence Everywhere).
She would know.
Boland and I covered a similar story to Mary’s in April at King and George Sts. where a woman named Andrea was struck in a similar way while out for a run.
“I went flying,” she said. “He hit me so hard … I saw black for a few seconds.”
Her attacker was not caught.
There are so many emotionally unstable and violent people on the streets – either suffering from mental illness or addictions – who are high or out of control that neither the police nor the courts can keep up with them all.
At Wednesday’s encampment news conference, a woman we spoke to – who was too scared to give her name or have her photo taken – said she has been assaulted twice by both a man and a woman.
She also called one of her attackers The Puncher.
“This guy has punched more than 100 people,” she claimed.
And this allegedly includes police officers, TTC employees, city workers, social workers, joggers and dog walkers. No one is suggesting these are all the same puncher. But the damage caused by the alleged attacks is similar.
“There are a lot of punchers out there,” said the victim who lives near Clarence Square Park.
And allegedly a lot of innocent victims.
Mary said she will certainly never forget her Puncher and the damage he has caused her.