Man charged for threatening mother with baby on bus in Vancouver's West End

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      Local transit police arrested a man for threatening and harassing a mother and her baby, as well as other passengers, on a West End bus.

      According to Metro Vancouver Transit police, around 5:15 p.m. on May 31, a woman boarded a bus with her 16-month-old baby in a stroller on Davie Street at Bute Street.

      A few minutes later, a man also boarded the bus at Davie and Thurlow streets. As he stood beside the stroller, he allegedly began to focus on the baby, leaning over it, and repeatedly pressing the harness release button.

      When the mother asked him to stop, he began to yell and swear at her. When another passenger asked the man to stop, the suspect challenged him to a fight, threatening to break his nose.

      When the woman tried to exit the bus at the next stop, the suspect blocked her way and lunged at her and the baby.

      Several passengers intervened by grabbing him and holding him until he broke free, leaving the bus at Granville and Davie streets. He remained yelling outside the bus.

      The mother was eventually able to leave the bus safely.

      The suspect was identified and arrested on June 8 at Main and Hastings streets.

      Arthur Emile Cherpak, a 56-year-old man of no fixed address, was charged with two counts of uttering threats, assault, and criminal harassment.

      Cherpak remained in custody and made a court appearance today (June 20) in Vancouver Provincial Court.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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