Bridge Lake man arrested for prohibited driving, assaulting a police officer

A Bridge Lake man has been arrested for the second time in less than a month, this time for prohibited driving and assaulting a police officer, 100 Mile House RCMP say.

He was apprehended yesterday(April 9), after an off duty officer saw a man, known to be a prohibited driver, travelling in a vehicle along Highway 97.

Patrols were made by on-duty officers, but the man could not be found.

Later on the same day, two witnesses who were familiar with the 44-year-old, observed him driving a vehicle in the area of Moore Avenue within the Exeter Industrial Park.

Officers attended and found the man behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle with one female passenger.

Police say the man is known to them to be involved in drugs and carry weapons.

The officers were also aware that the same man had been involved in a traffic stop last week where a fully loaded carbine had been found in the vehicle he was driving.

The man immediately exited the vehicle when noting the officer’s arrival and approached the patrol vehicle.

After being arrested for prohibited driving, the man failed to follow directions and pushed one of the officers to the ground forcefully.

A fight ensued, where the suspect continued trying to injure the arresting officers, resulting in one of the officers requesting emergency backup.

The pair were able to hold the man, who continued to struggle and fight on the ground, until other officers arrived to assist in the arrest.

“Drugs and a large knife on the dash were found in the vehicle after a search was conducted incidental to arrest,” said Staff Seargent Svend Nielson.

Both officers involved received minor injuries from the altercation, and the man was taken to hospital with minor injuries before being released

He was cleared shortly after and taken to cells, and his vehicle was impounded.

The woman, who did not get involved in the struggle and remained in the car, was detained at first but later released with no charges.

The man will be released by way of an Undertaking by Police on a number of charges including Assaulting a Peace Officer.

He was placed on conditions to not be found within the driver’s seat of any vehicle, not possess a weapon, and a no go order within a fixed kilometre radius of 100 Mile House, amongst other conditions.