A 52-year-old Richmond member of the paparazzi could face a charge of intimidating actor Ryan Reynolds.
Vancouver Police (VPD) have recommended a charge after investigating an incident between the photographer and Reynolds in the underground parking lot of a Downtown Vancouver hotel on Friday.
Shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday, April 10, Reynolds, according to the VPD, was approached by the photographer — named by The Province newspaper, but not police, as Rik Fedyck — in the secured underground parking lot at the Shangri-La.
During the “confrontation,” police say the driver struck the victim with his car as he fled the lot. There were no significant injuries sustained as a result of the contact, added police.
Investigators spoke at length with Reynolds — who’s in the city right now filming the latest superhero movie Deadpool — as well as witnesses, and obtained security footage.
Police identified and located the alleged driver and spoke to him on Sunday about the incident.
After considering a variety of options and criminal charges, police arrested the Richmond resident and have recommended a charge of intimidation. He was released from custody on Monday.
When released, Fedyck denied to The Province that he had struck the actor.
“Any story that is written in (Monday's) papers is 100-per-cent false,” Fedyck said.
Fedyck said he couldn't talk much about the details, but repeated a number of times, "The story that's out there is 100-per-cent false. Reynolds' publicist put out an incorrect story.
"All I'm going to say is Ryan Reynolds was not hit by a car," said Fedyck. He also denied "pictures were tried to be taken."
He said the fact the police were going to charge him with a hit-and-run, then three counts of intimidation, down to one count of intimidation and then one count of mischief, proves the police don't have evidence he committed a criminal act.
Asked if he was in the Shangri-La parkade, he said he had no comment.
"I will correct the record down the road," he said.
He said the story "is very unfair to me," adding he spent 14 hours in jail: "It's pretty scummy in there."
Despite the altercation, Vancouver-born Reynolds seemed to be in good form and, while replying to a CBC request for an interview, he tweeted “Bring back Beachcombers and I’ll call you.”
—With a file from The Province
For more stories, go to The Province.com
