Friends rally around Penticton man in coma after brutal beating

PENTICTON – A Penticton man who was the victim of a vicious assault in the city last week remains hospitalized and in a coma.

Brad Eliason was assaulted while trying to break up an altercation at the Okanagan Beach firepits on Friday evening, May 3.

Friends are rallying to support Eliason and his wife Chelcie Townend with the creation of a GoFundMe page for the couple.

Heather Schramm, who created the page, writes Eliason was enjoying a fire with friends on the beach when he saw some younger people being harassed by two adult men. One of the men grabbed a teen’s hat, while a female teenager was also being harassed. Eliason stepped in to try and stop the harassment when he was jumped and attacked by the two men.

Eliason was knocked to the ground and suffered a head injury.

Police and emergency services attended the scene around 11:30 p.m. Friday, May 3, and Eliason was rushed to Penticton Regional Hospital and later transported to Kelowna General Hospital where he underwent surgery.

He is now in a medically induced coma.

Police have identified the suspect as Thomas Kruger-Allen, 21, who was arrested and remains in custody on charges of aggravated assault, sexual assault and two counts of common assault.

Kruger-Allen was also one of three men charged with assault in August, 2017, following a fight outside the former Mule nightclub in Penticton.

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