Police say man pointed gun at family as they cycled on Pickering trail

Durham Regional Police say they’ve arrested a suspect accused of pointing a handgun at a family while they were out on a bike ride on a trail in Pickering on Tuesday night.

Officers were called to the Kingston Road West and Notion Road area at around 7:05 p.m. for reports of an armed person.

Investigators say the family — a mother, father, and their two children — first encountered the suspect as they were bike riding on Duffins Trail.

The suspect allegedly made derogatory remarks towards the mom as she passed him, prompting her husband to come to her aid.

That led to a verbal dispute that quickly escalated when police allege the suspect revealed a handgun and pointed it at the family.

The frightened family tried to quickly ride away, but investigators say the suspect jumped into a vehicle and started following them as they travelled west.

“When the victims saw the suspect exit his vehicle, the adult male got off his bicycle to protect his children,” a police release states.

“The suspect then grabbed and damaged the victim’s bicycle before stealing it and fleeing the area in his car.”

The suspect was located a short distance away and taken into custody without incident.

No injuries were reported.

Dwayne Robert Richards, 37, of Ajax, is facing numerous charges including pointing a firearm, possessing a weapon dangerous to the public and theft under $5,000.

He was also charged with failing to comply with an undertaking and was held in custody pending a bail hearing.