Man terrorizes woman on Vancouver SkyTrain

A man who Police say stalked and threatened a woman on the SkyTrain while carrying an eight-inch blade is in custody.

Yesterday around 3 p.m. PT, the woman boarded a train at Waterfront Station and noticed a man with blood on one hand carrying a knife. The man stared continuously at the young woman, while playing with the long blade.

Several times the woman moved away from the man, but each time he followed her and, when she attempted to get off at Columbia Station, he blocked her exit, police said.

Transit Police were alerted by other passengers, both through the emergency button and by text messages. At Scott Road Station, the frightened passengers all exited the train with the woman.

Three passengers chased and tackled the 21-year-old man Melvin Estuardo Ascon Carias who had failed to get a bus to stop for him in the loop, and held him until Transit Police and Surrey RCMP arrived on scene, police said.

Carias was on probation, having been convicted in 2014 on two counts of assault with a weapon. He now faces charges of forcible confinement, possession of a weapon, and breach of probation.

The young woman at the centre of the incident was extremely traumatized, police said, and has been offered victim support services.