Grande Prairie man facing four charges, including assaulting a police officer

Grande Prairie man charged with assaulting officer A Grande Prairie man has been charged with assaulting an officer after a series of traffic stops and a confrontation.

EDMONTON — A 46-year-old Grande Prairie man is facing four charges, including assaulting a police officer, after a May 6 incident.

Around 5:14 p.m., RCMP said a man in a pickup truck was pulled over by an officer for stunting on a highway around 98 Street and 101 Avenue in Grande Prairie.

RCMP said after the first traffic stop, the man was pulled over again, a few blocks away, for stunting.

After the officer ticketed the driver at the second stop, he drove away, hitting the officer with his pickup truck, according to RCMP. The officer followed the truck, pulled it over for a third time and additional officers were called.

The driver was arrested for assaulting an officer and taken into custody, according to RCMP. During their investigation, RCMP found bear spray in the truck.

The driver has been charged with four offences:

He was released from custody and is expected to appear in court on July 21.

In videos posted to YouTube that RCMP said “are believed to relate” to the traffic stops, a man can be seen yelling obscenities at someone he refers to as an officer.

In the video, a man is seen talking on the phone to someone with the RCMP, saying he was pulled over for yelling on the phone and again for giving the middle finger to the officer.

Later, an officer can be seen breaking the window of the truck to arrest the driver of the vehicle. The woman filming the video refers to the officer as having a cut on his hand.

RCMP said no further details can be provided as the matter is before the courts.