Cop pepper sprays driver as traffic stop turns violent

(CNS): A police officer was assaulted and deployed his pepper spray in the early hours of Tuesday morning when a traffic stop turned violent. According to the RCIPS, shortly before 1:00am on Tuesday, 3 September, a police officer conducting a vehicle stop on Bodden Town Road asked a driver for his identification and vehicle documents.

The driver became combative towards the officer, who then attempted to arrest him. But the man tried to drive away, causing the officer to fall to the ground. The driver and a passenger got out of the vehicle and advanced on the officer in an attempt to assault him, causing the officer to deploy his pepper spray. 

The suspect then tried to flee the scene in his vehicle but lost control, causing the vehicle to flip and come to a stop in nearby bushes. The 23-year-old man, a resident of East End, was arrested for assaulting an officer, giving false details, and careless driving and was transported to the detention centre.

The officer was transported by ambulance to the hospital for assessment and later released. 

The RCIPS did not say whether or not the deployment of the pepper spray had caused the man to crash the car or if the driver was taken to hospital before he was taken to the detention centre.