London police arrest millionaire banker in 2017 'Putney pusher' cold case, nine years after jogger shoved woman into bus path
A 44-year-old millionaire banker with links to European royalty has been arrested over the 2017 Putney Bridge shove that sent a woman into the path of a double-decker bus. The case was closed in 2018 after three earlier arrests led nowhere.
The morning of the shove
On 5 May 2017, at about 7:40 a.m., a 33-year-old woman was walking across Putney Bridge in south-west London during the rush-hour commute. A jogger running in the opposite direction abruptly pushed her off the pavement and into the road, directly in front of an oncoming number 430 double-decker bus travelling at 12 mph. The driver, Oliver Salbris, saw the woman fall and swerved into the opposite lane at the last moment. The victim’s head came within centimetres of the bus bodywork and a wheel. She hit the ground, sustained minor injuries, and was helped by passengers.
If I hadn’t swerved, I would have smashed her head. It was reflex. The consequences would have been terrible for her — and for me.
The jogger kept running without looking back. About fifteen minutes later he crossed the bridge in the opposite direction, ignored the victim when she tried to speak to him, and disappeared. CCTV footage of the assault was released by the Metropolitan Police in August 2017 under the tag “Road-rage jogger.” It was viewed millions of times and provoked public outrage.
A stalled investigation and a theatre piece
Officers interviewed around 50 men and arrested three suspects, including American private-equity executive Eric Bellquist, who was able to prove he was on holiday in California at the time. No one was charged. In June 2018 the Metropolitan Police closed the file, saying all leads had been exhausted.
The footage is clear. If he was, say, my cousin I would know him. So if there is somebody watching the play, thinking they have more information, I hope they will come forward.
The unsolved case became the subject of a play, Once Upon a Bridge, by Sonya Kelly, which premiered in 2024. The Met said at the time that it hoped the production would encourage anyone with fresh information to come forward.
The arrest
On Monday 15 June 2026, Scotland Yard announced that a 44-year-old man had been arrested at his £1.4m home in west London on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. The force confirmed the arrest was linked to the 5 May 2017 incident on Putney Bridge. The man remained in police custody while inquiries continued. His name has not been released.
Who the suspect is
British media, citing the Daily Mail, reported that the man is a multimillionaire investment banker and a decorated former British Army officer with family connections to several leading European royal houses, including the House of Windsor. After leaving the military, he built a successful career in the City of London advising wealthy private clients and institutions. The Metropolitan Police declined to describe a motive.
- Jogger pushes 33-year-old woman into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge.
- Metropolitan Police release CCTV footage; video goes viral globally.
- Investigation closed after three arrests, including Eric Bellquist, yield no charges.
- Play ‘Once Upon a Bridge’ by Sonya Kelly premieres, prompting fresh appeals.
- 44-year-old millionaire banker arrested at his west London home on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm.
The driver’s lasting memory
Oliver Salbris, who was hailed as a hero in 2017, told the Daily Mail earlier this year that he has never been able to forget the moment. “Every time I cross Putney Bridge I watch pedestrians very carefully, I can’t help it.” The victim, now in her early 40s, has never been publicly identified.
