Alleged shark tank skinny-dipper has returned to B.C. while awaiting trial
David Weaver is facing charges after allegedly swimming naked at Ripley's Aquarium
A British Columbia man accused of swimming naked in a shark tank at a Toronto aquarium has returned home to B.C. to resume his job as a fishing guide while his case wends its way through the justice system.
Defence lawyer Blair Drummie says David Weaver has recently gone home after his bail conditions were relaxed, and is doing well.
Police allege Weaver assaulted a man outside Medieval Times before moving on to Ripley's Aquarium of Canada where he stripped naked and jumped into a massive shark tank.
It was believed that Weaver would appear in a Toronto court on Thursday. Instead, Drummie met with the Crown to request that his client's charges be split into separate trials.
Weaver is charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, mischief under five-thousand dollars and mischief interfering with property.
Drummie is asking for the assault charge to be tried separately from the mischief charges.
At present, Weaver's trial is tentatively set to take place in late September.
Late October swimming incident led to arrest
On October 12, 2018, David Weaver allegedly took off his clothes, hopped a security barrier and jumped into the "dangerous lagoon" of the aquarium.
Officials say he then spent several minutes swimming in the 2.9-million litre tank with sand tiger sharks, sawfish and moray eels as a crowd looked on.
He then allegedly fled the aquarium before officers arrived.
Toronto police said Weaver had assaulted and seriously injured a man two hours earlier that night outside Medieval Times, a dinner and show attraction.
Provincial police arrested Weaver four days after his alleged swim in Thunder Bay, Ont. during a vehicle stop.