Saanich officers injured in scuffle with nude man
Bill Cleverley Times Colonist Friday, February 11, 2005
The suspect was obviously unarmed.
But two Saanich police officers ended up being treated for injuries after wrestling the naked man to the ground near Hampton Park Thursday morning.
They were called to the area after residents reported seeing a nude man running through the park about 9:45 a.m., Const. John Price said. Several officers were quick to respond.
"He was just running, I guess, through Hampton Park. Where he came from we're not too sure," Price said.
One of the officers soon spotted the man near the M&M Meat Shop at Tillicum and Burnside roads. The man saw the marked police car and continued to run. The officer gave chase, and the two ended up at the Shell station at Burnside Road.
"Other units were coming anyway. The next thing you know they were all chasing him down around the Shell station," Price said.
At the time of the arrest there were three or four officers on the scene.
"Somebody tackled somebody and they ended up on the ground. He's fighting the whole time. He did eventually get arrested, but one of our guys is now in a hand cast and another chap is off with a knee sprain."
He said it's not that unusual that two officers would get injured while arresting one man.
"When people don't want to be arrested it does become a game of fitness and finesse. It's very easy when you're grappling with somebody to get an injury. ... you're rolling around on the ground, someone's going to get hurt."
The suspect denied any illicit drug use but he did claim to have gone off his prescribed medications, Price said.
An ambulance was called and the man was taken to Royal Jubilee Hospital for a medical and a psychiatric evaluation. Price was uncertain whether charges would be laid.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2005
Bill Cleverley Times Colonist Friday, February 11, 2005
The suspect was obviously unarmed.
But two Saanich police officers ended up being treated for injuries after wrestling the naked man to the ground near Hampton Park Thursday morning.
They were called to the area after residents reported seeing a nude man running through the park about 9:45 a.m., Const. John Price said. Several officers were quick to respond.
"He was just running, I guess, through Hampton Park. Where he came from we're not too sure," Price said.
One of the officers soon spotted the man near the M&M Meat Shop at Tillicum and Burnside roads. The man saw the marked police car and continued to run. The officer gave chase, and the two ended up at the Shell station at Burnside Road.
"Other units were coming anyway. The next thing you know they were all chasing him down around the Shell station," Price said.
At the time of the arrest there were three or four officers on the scene.
"Somebody tackled somebody and they ended up on the ground. He's fighting the whole time. He did eventually get arrested, but one of our guys is now in a hand cast and another chap is off with a knee sprain."
He said it's not that unusual that two officers would get injured while arresting one man.
"When people don't want to be arrested it does become a game of fitness and finesse. It's very easy when you're grappling with somebody to get an injury. ... you're rolling around on the ground, someone's going to get hurt."
The suspect denied any illicit drug use but he did claim to have gone off his prescribed medications, Price said.
An ambulance was called and the man was taken to Royal Jubilee Hospital for a medical and a psychiatric evaluation. Price was uncertain whether charges would be laid.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2005
