A 33-year-old man was arrested by the RCMP on Hwy16, between Prince Rupert and Terrace June 25, following a high speed chase and alleged assault of a police officer.
Simon Charles Rudderham, a resident of Prince Rupert, is in custody as of June 29 after provincial prosecutors approved of five charges.
Police say Rudderham, who was in a black Honda Civic, fled a police checkpoint at the Butze Creek Rapids on Hwy16 just west of the turn off to Port Edward.
“He exited the line of stopped traffic and accelerated rapidly toward a police officer that was conducting traffic control. The officer jumped off the road way and narrowly avoided being struck by the car,” indicated a police release.
The vehicle fled east at a high rate of speed, driving dangerously, putting the public at risk, said police.
Officers from the Terrace detachment and the highway patrol set up spike belts across the Shames River Bridge in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
However, the vehicle appeared to experience mechanical issues before it reached the Shames Bridge and stopped suddenly on the highway near Kasiks Wilderness Resort and the Exchamsiks River.
The police removed the driver, who initially refused to exit the vehicle. He resisted arrest and fought with police, during which, an officer was assaulted.
Rudderham has been charged with six offences, including assaulting a peace officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of obstruction of a peace officer, flight from a peace officer and failure/refusal to comply with a demand of a peace officer.
Saunderson told Black Press Media that it is not evident at this point as to what Rudderham’s motivation may have been. He has been remanded in custody pending a future court date which is yet to be set.