Putney Bridge jogger: Man arrested over London bus pushing is US investment banker denying being in UK at time
Eric Bellquist’s lawyers say he has ‘irrefutable proof’ he was in the United States when the alleged assault happened
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A man who has been arrested after a woman was pushed in front of a bus on London’s Putney Bridge has been identified as a millionaire US investment banker – but the suspect says he was not in the country at the time the alleged offence took place.
Eric Bellquist was arrested following a police appeal after a 33-year-old woman was knocked down and only avoided serious injury thanks to the quick reflexes of a double-decker bus driver, in footage captured on CCTV.
He was detained by officers on Thursday before being released pending further enquiries.
A statement issued by the law firm acting for Mr Bellquist said: “Our client has been wrongly implicated in this matter; he categorically denies being the individual concerned and has irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.
“Consequently we expect a swift resolution to this wholly untrue allegation.”
Mr Bellquist works for private capital investment firm Hutton Collins, which says he is on the boards of Byron Hamburgers and Wagamama and was responsible for the firm’s investment in Caffè Nero.
A graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder, he previously worked at Lehman Brothers.
He lives in Chelsea, according to MailOnline, and has been with Hutton Collins since 2002.
A Met Police statement said: “At about 7.40am on Friday, 5 May the 33-year-old victim was walking across Putney Bridge on the east side heading towards Putney Bridge Tube Station when a male jogger knocked her over into the road and into the path of an oncoming bus, which narrowly missed hitting her.
“The bus stopped and some passengers got off and rushed to the victim’s aid. She received minor injuries from the incident.
“About 15 minutes later the jogger came back the other way across the bridge. The victim tried to speak to him but he did not acknowledge her and carried on jogging.
“Officers continue to appeal for any witnesses to the incident.”
Witnesses to the alleged attack can call Putney safer neighbourhood team on 0208 785 8874 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.