While the manhunt continues for Penticton fugitive David Wesley Bobbitt, area residents aren’t entirely surprised he is suspected of an alleged attack on a 22-year-old woman.
Bobbitt, 35, remains missing after allegedly holding a woman in the backroom of his Penticton business, Dave’s Second Hand store, over the long weekend. The woman was sexually assaulted and beaten with a hammer.
Her 22-month-old son is said to have witnessed the horrific scene but was left otherwise unharmed.
Now some Penticton residents are speaking out about a man who some feared was a ticking time bomb.
A 50-year-old auto-shop owner, who would like to remain anonymous – “in case this cat’s still alive” – says he frequented the second-hand store until a bizarre encounter a couple months ago.
“He kind of bit my head off that day and that was it, I didn’t bother going back. I just thought, ‘Jesus, this is a time bomb ready to go here,’” the man said Wednesday.
“You could tell he obviously dropped off his meds when he snapped at me.”
A pawnshop owner, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said he had a confrontation with Bobbitt just last week.
“[Bobbitt] figured I was putting down his store . . . so I went over there because I was across the street. He called me an idiot and I said, ‘If you’ve got a problem, come talk to me face-to-face and not across the street.’ He said forget about it and shook my hand and I said, ‘Whatever.’”
In March 2007, Penticton resident Julie White, 22, and her boyfriend, who were in need of a place to stay, were invited by Bobbitt to stay in his camper. After a couple of nights, White became suspicious.
“He was being rather touchy when my boyfriend wasn’t around and said weird things to me, asking if I want to sleep with him and I got really creeped out and told my boyfriend,” White said.
Another Penticton man, Travis Gold, who was in Bobbitt’s store last week, said: “He kind of seemed like he was lurking around a lot . . . and had this weird half-grin on his face.
“He would follow you around in the dark and watch your every move.”
According to the City of Penticton, Bobbitt’s business licence expired on Jan. 21. The utilities to his shop were disconnected for nonpayment on July 26.
Bobbitt, 35, remains missing after allegedly holding a woman in the backroom of his Penticton business, Dave’s Second Hand store, over the long weekend. The woman was sexually assaulted and beaten with a hammer.
Her 22-month-old son is said to have witnessed the horrific scene but was left otherwise unharmed.
Now some Penticton residents are speaking out about a man who some feared was a ticking time bomb.
A 50-year-old auto-shop owner, who would like to remain anonymous – “in case this cat’s still alive” – says he frequented the second-hand store until a bizarre encounter a couple months ago.
“He kind of bit my head off that day and that was it, I didn’t bother going back. I just thought, ‘Jesus, this is a time bomb ready to go here,’” the man said Wednesday.
“You could tell he obviously dropped off his meds when he snapped at me.”
A pawnshop owner, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said he had a confrontation with Bobbitt just last week.
“[Bobbitt] figured I was putting down his store . . . so I went over there because I was across the street. He called me an idiot and I said, ‘If you’ve got a problem, come talk to me face-to-face and not across the street.’ He said forget about it and shook my hand and I said, ‘Whatever.’”
In March 2007, Penticton resident Julie White, 22, and her boyfriend, who were in need of a place to stay, were invited by Bobbitt to stay in his camper. After a couple of nights, White became suspicious.
“He was being rather touchy when my boyfriend wasn’t around and said weird things to me, asking if I want to sleep with him and I got really creeped out and told my boyfriend,” White said.
Another Penticton man, Travis Gold, who was in Bobbitt’s store last week, said: “He kind of seemed like he was lurking around a lot . . . and had this weird half-grin on his face.
“He would follow you around in the dark and watch your every move.”
According to the City of Penticton, Bobbitt’s business licence expired on Jan. 21. The utilities to his shop were disconnected for nonpayment on July 26.
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