Phone video shows a man clinging to the passenger door frame of a Tesla as it reverses from an alleged knife attacker in Redwood Park, South Surrey, on Sept. 9. Surrey Police say the suspect drove a Jeep into a Ford pickup, then chased the victim and allegedly brandished a knife. The Tesla driver, filmed by Robin Nuber, "provided safety" until officers arrived; the Tesla's screen briefly shows 24 km/h, indicating the car left in reverse. The accused, Richard Mark James Evoy, 37, faces multiple Criminal Code charges; investigators ask witnesses to call 604-599-0502 (file 26-96726).
Surrey Video Shows Man Clinging To Stranger’s Tesla As It Reverses From Alleged Knife Attacker
A Tesla Model 3's center screen, which also displays the car's speed and camera feeds. Photo: SirAsdof viaWikimedia Commons(CC BY-SA 4.0)
A startling phone video captures a man clinging to the passenger door frame of a Tesla as the car reverses away from an alleged knife-wielding attacker at Redwood Park in South Surrey, British Columbia.
What Happened
The footage, recorded by driver Robin Nuber and distributed by Storyful, was shot on the afternoon of Sept. 9. Surrey Police say officers were dispatched at about 4:44 p.m. to a reported assault near 179 Street and 20 Avenue. Police allege the suspect drove a Jeep Wrangler into a white Ford pickup, then produced a knife and chased the pickup's occupant.
How the Tesla Came Into Play
According to the Surrey Police Service news release, a witness in a Tesla "provided safety" to the pickup's occupant until officers arrived. Nuber's footage shows a man in a green shirt running toward the Tesla's windshield while another man clings to the passenger-side door frame from the outside.
The Tesla's center touchscreen briefly displays a speed reading of 24 km/h (about 15 mph) and then switches to camera feeds, indicating the vehicle was leaving the scene in reverse. On a narrow two-lane park road, reversing allowed the driver to pull away without turning the car around—practical given a passenger door was open and a person was hanging on.
Investigation and Charges
Surrey Police identified the accused as Richard Mark James Evoy, 37. He faces multiple charges under the Criminal Code, including assault with a weapon, assault, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, criminal harassment and uttering threats. Police say Evoy was remanded into custody and was scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court to set his next court date. As always, the allegations have not been proven in court.
At the resolution of the released video it is not possible to clearly see whether the runner was holding a knife; the knife allegation comes from police. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Surrey Police Service at 604-599-0502 and cite file number 26-96726.
Context
Tesla camera footage has been used in prior investigations—helping solve a Georgia car-theft case and prompting some police agencies to seize Teslas to obtain recordings. Roadside confrontations that escalate into weapon charges have occurred elsewhere, with incidents involving machetes and hatchets reported in past years.
Note: The featured image is a stock photo of a Tesla Model 3 interior and is not the vehicle involved in this incident.
If you were the driver in that moment and a stranger grabbed your passenger door, would you stop, drive away, or lock the doors?
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