I’m not evil jogger, says banker in police quiz
A FINANCIER questioned by police after a woman was pushed in front of a bus by a jogger protested his innocence yesterday.
Eric Bellquist insists he has “irrefutable proof ” that he was abroad at the time of the attack.
Lawyers for the 41-year-old said yesterday he has been “wrongly implicated”.
Mr Bellquist was arrested on Thursday, two days after Scotland Yard released CCTV footage of the 33-yearold woman being pushed into the road as she crossed London’s Putney Bridge on May 5.
Swerved
Her life was saved when the driver of a double decker bus swerved around her sprawled body.
Mr Bellquist was arrested home in Chelsea.
He was later released without charge but is still under investigation, Scotland Yard said.
In a statement, lawyers at the firm Duncan Lewis said: “Our client has been wrongly implicated.
“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 the hedge fund Hutton Collins, based in Pall at his Mall, central London. He joined the firm as a partner in 2002.
A graduate of the University of Colorado, he had previously worked for Lehman Brothers.
The Yard initially said a 41-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
The suspect’s age was revised to 50 before it was changed back to 41 yesterday. “We apologise for this mistake,” a spokesman said.
Police released CCTV footage of the incident on Tuesday.
The Yard said: “At about 7.40am on Friday, May 5, 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.
“She received minor injuries from the incident.
“About 15 minutes later, the jogger came back the other way. The victim tried to speak to him but he did not acknowledge her and carried on jogging.”
Police said they are still appealing for witnesses.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Putney Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8785 8874 or 101. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.