(MIDDLESEX, ON) – On May 24, 2020 at 3:26 a.m. the Middlesex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was requested to assist a member of the Strathroy Caradoc Police Service (SCPS) at a traffic stop on Longwoods Rd. in the Municipality of Strathroy Caradoc.
OPP learned that while at a traffic stop with a pickup truck a SCPS officer was confronted by unrelated male on a motorcycle. The male became confrontational with the SCPS officer, at which point the OPP were requested to assist. The male soon fled the scene eastbound on HWY 402 and was later located and stopped by a member of the OPP.
During the traffic stop police soon learned that the driver’s ability to operate the motorcycle may have been impaired. During the course of a standard field sobriety test the driver became very aggressive and assaulted the officer by striking him in the face. During the assault the officer was required to deploy his conducted energy weapon (CEW) to safely control the accused and effect an arrest.
The officer received minor injuries as a result of the assault. The accused was not injured.
As a result of an investigation police have charged Ronald CLAUSE – age 51- of Mississauga’s of the New Credit First Nation with:
CC 270(1)(a) Assault a Peace Officer
CC 320.15(1) Failure or refusal to comply with demand
The accused was remanded into custody as a result of his parole being revoked and is scheduled to appear in a London Court room on August 4, 2020 to speak to the charges.
This incident is another reminder of the dangers that our officers face each and every day and that no traffic stop should ever be viewed as routine. Our members are provided the necessary equipment and training to ensure that each situation can be handled in the safest and most effective way possible. This is also another great reminder why motorists need to slow down and move over when they see that police have someone stopped at the roadside. Officers and civilians need room to ensure a safe space to work in.