44-year-old man arrested in 2017 Putney Bridge assault

A 44-year-old man was arrested in west London on Monday, June 15, in connection with a near-fatal 2017 assault on Putney Bridge that had remained unsolved for nearly a decade. The man was detained at his home on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm and remains in police custody.

The arrest relates to an incident on the morning of May 5, 2017, when a jogger pushed a 33-year-old woman into the path of an oncoming double-decker bus. Dramatic CCTV footage, which was later viewed millions of times online, captured the moment. The bus driver, Oliver Salbris, swerved at the last second, missing the woman’s head by inches and preventing a potential catastrophe. The victim sustained only minor injuries.

Following the push, the jogger reportedly returned across the bridge approximately 15 minutes later and ignored the woman as she tried to speak to him while receiving assistance. Initial police descriptions characterized the suspect as a white man in his early to mid-30s with short brown hair, brown eyes, and a stocky build, wearing a grey t-shirt and dark shorts.

The investigation, which involved reviewing a pool of about 50 people and arresting three men who were later released...