A local woman is suffering minor injuries after being assaulted Sunday afternoon just outside a Riverdale apartment building.

Whitehorse RCMP are searching for a male suspect.

Carol Boschman spoke to reporters late this morning near the scene outside the Pines Apartment building next to the Super A store in the neighbourhood.

She said she had been walking up Lewes Boulevard on Sunday afternoon when a red bicycle “flew by me” on the sidewalk next to the grocery store.

As he sped past her, the 70-year-old woman told him he was breaking the law, that bicycles aren’t allowed on sidewalks and there is a clearly marked bike lane on the road.

Boschman said the cyclist pulled his bike into the bicycle racks at the apartment building next door.

She could hear him saying something unclear, something that might have been directed at her.

She proceeded to move over to the bike racks, saying, “Pardon?” and stating all she did was to tell him that he had been breaking the city’s bylaw by pedalling on the sidewalk.

It was then he began raising his voice, yelling at her to “Get away, get out of here!”

“What put him into such a rage, I don’t know,” she said.

As Boschman stood there shocked that her comment would elicit such anger, he slapped her face three times.

“I couldn’t believe what was happening,” said Boschman, noting she was so stunned she didn’t move.

He then proceeded to grab her by her shoulders and push her to the ground before he snatched his bike and took off through the parking lot of the Super A store.

“Fortunately, I fell on the grass,” she said, her arm in a sling.

It took her a couple of tries to get up off the ground, and when she did, she screamed for help.

Staff from the neighbouring Macaulay Lodge as well as a passersby and a resident of the apartment soon came to the scene, one heading to the Super A to call the RCMP and others remaining with Boschman until police arrived.

After the RCMP constable took her statement and those of witnesses who arrived after the assault, he offered to take her to the hospital “just to be on the safe side,” she explained.

Fortunately, she had no broken bones, but her left arm did have some soft tissue inflammation and since then she has noticed some pain in her hip.

She was provided with a sling for her arm.

RCMP sent out a media release today, seeking the public’s help in locating the man.

It was at about 2:10 p.m. Sunday when police received a report from the man who said he had just witnessed an assault on a woman near the Macaulay Lodge.

He told police he had seen a man holding an elderly woman by her arms, then striking her in the face.

He ran to the woman and the suspect fled the area on a bicycle.

The suspect is described as being approximately five feet, 10 inches in height, with a medium build and about 50 years old.

He has shorter dark hair and was wearing prescription glasses.

He wore a red coat with reflective patches on the side and dark pants, and was wearing a dark hat.

The investigation into the assault is continuing.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident and the suspect involved is asked to contact Whitehorse RCMP at 667-5551.

Boschman noted that while she hasn’t been assaulted like this, there is an ongoing problem of cyclists and skateboards using the sidewalk, creating a safety risk to pedestrians.

A resident of the neighbourhood who doesn’t drive, she is often out walking, and has noticed more and more bicycles and skateboards on the sidewalk.

There have been many times, she said, where skateboards flip up right behind or in front of pedestrians.

She noted her hope the city’s bylaw department will keep a closer watch on the city sidewalks and enforce its regulations.

– With files from Rhiannon Russell