Resisting arrest, alcohol charges also laid against teen in case involving off-duty Mountie
A teenager charged with assaulting an off-duty P.E.I. RCMP officer is also facing charges of resisting arrest and a number of liquor-related offences, according to Chief Superintendent Kevin Lewis.
The 15-year-old male accused can't be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
At least part of the incident was captured in footage by witnesses with cellphones, a gas station's CCTV security system, and the body cams worn by RCMP officers who came to their colleague's assistance, Lewis told CBC News on Friday, a day after the force issued a news release about the incident.
"Police officers are 24/7," he said of the off-duty officer's actions. "There's an expectation that we maintain public safety at all times — and if we witness an offence occurring or about to occur, we have to intervene."
It all started at about 6:30 p.m. on April 1, when the off-duty officer smelled alcohol while standing near someone inside the gas station in New Haven, in central P.E.I.
Lewis said the officer then watched the person leave the station and get into the driver's seat of a car.
When he went to talk to the driver, Lewis said the officer noticed both open and sealed alcohol in the car and asked the driver to get out, presenting his ID and badge and identifying himself as a police officer.
RCMP on P.E.I. began using body-worn cameras in November 2024, so this will be one of the first cases where the footage could be presented in court. (Laura Meader/CBC)
Detaining the youth as part of investigation of impaired driving, he took the young man back into the gas station.
"A third party that was a passenger in the vehicle then enters a gas station and causes a confrontation between the police officer and that individual," Lewis said. "At that point in time, the detained youth then pushes the police officer multiple times…
"A struggle ensues between the police officer and the male youth, which goes outside the gas station, and the police officer then attempts to further detain the individual and keep them on the ground."
Lewis said yet another bystander then tried to pull the off-duty Mountie off the person he was trying to arrest.
"Again the [officer] tried to identify themselves as a police officer and asked them to refrain from what they were doing."
On-duty officers arrived shortly to take over, he said, leading to charges eventually being laid.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Mountie charged with driving offences after B.C. crash
VICTORIA - An RCMP officer faces two charges under the Motor Vehicle Act after a crash in southeastern B.C. last Canada Day that left three people injured. The BC Prosecution Service announced that Const. Christopher Odgaard is accused of driving without due care and failing to safely execute a U-turn. The allegations come after B.C.'s police watchdog referred its investigation to the prosecution service for consideration of charges earlier this year. The Independent Investigations Office said in a statement in April that the officer conducted a U-turn on Highway 3 near Greenwood, B.C., setting off a crash with a vehicle that had four people inside. The office said one person in that vehicle was seriously hurt, while two others had minor injuries. The prosecution service says the charges were sworn against the officer in Grand Forks provincial court on Tuesday, and he's set to make his first court appearance on June 30. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .


Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
New legislation aims to strengthen Canada's borders
As of June 3, 2025, the Canadian government is seeking to introduce new legislation to implement additional border security measures. Bill C-2, also known as the 'Strong Borders Act,' was brought forward at a news conference on Parliament Hill. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree was present to discuss the measures outlined in the bill. The federal government's new legislation aims to strengthen border security. The proposed bill has three main components: securing the border, fighting organized crime and illegal fentanyl, and disrupting illicit financing. When approached for comment on June 3, Luke Reimer, Spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency, Government of Canada, redirected the inquiry to a standard response on the Government of Canada's website, which posted information on strengthening border security, along with an accompanying backgrounder on the Strong Borders Act. Some of the recent changes the federal government would like to bring into legislation include: * Recruiting 1,000 more RCMP personnel to tackle drug and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime, and organized criminal gangs. * Hiring over 1,000 additional CBSA personnel, including border services officers, intelligence analysts, and specialized chemists, and training up to 9 new detector dog teams. The government also proposes to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to: * Remove barriers that prevent police from searching mail, where authorized to do so in accordance with an Act of Parliament, to carry out a criminal investigation. * Expand Canada Post inspection authority to open mail. In December 2024, the government implemented changes to the border plan, including: * Detecting and disrupting the fentanyl trade: The Government of Canada will increase support to law enforcement agencies in detecting, intercepting, and addressing fentanyl and precursor chemicals by adding artificial intelligence and imaging tools that will help detect illegal drugs before they enter Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will train and deploy new canine teams to intercept illegal drugs. The agency currently has over 80 detector dog teams located at various ports of entry across Canada. CBSA will also deploy new chemical detection tools at high-risk ports of entry. * Introducing significant new tools for law enforcement: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will deploy a new Aerial Intelligence Task Force comprised of helicopters, drones, and mobile surveillance towers. Counter-drone technology will support RCMP officers and provide 24/7 surveillance between ports of entry. * Increasing information sharing: The Government of Canada will build on information and intelligence sharing between federal, provincial, territorial authorities, the U.S., and other international partners. Enhanced information sharing will allow authorities to identify, monitor, and collaborate with partners to intercept high-risk individuals attempting to travel along with goods of interest attempting to move between countries. The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and its Additional Protocol remain in place. People must claim asylum in the first country they enter – be it Canada or the U.S. This agreement mitigates against unlawful entry into either country and maintains border integrity for both countries. Claimants that do not meet an exception or exemption to the STCA will be returned to the first safe country they entered, either Canada or the U.S. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Media Advisory: MADD Canada's Team Nick Coates Awards Recognize Newfoundland and Labrador Police Officers for Keeping Roads Safe
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Police officers in Newfoundland and Labrador will be recognized at the 2025 MADD Canada's Team Nick Coates Awards ceremony for going above and beyond to remove impaired drivers from the province's roads, waterways and trails. This year, 16 police officers will be presented with the awards. Officers who have taken at least 12 impaired drivers off the roads in 2024 will receive the Gold Award, while those who have removed at least eight will receive the Silver Award. The Top Performer for the RCMP and RNC will also be honoured during the ceremony. Officers will also receive special commemorative challenge coins. Media are invited to attend the awards ceremony. Interviews with guests and award recipients will be available upon request. Date & Time: Friday, June 13, 2025 at 11 a.m. Location: RCMP Headquarters (Atrium), 100 E White Hills Rd., St. John's, NL Speakers: Asst. Commissioner Pat Cahill, Commanding Officer of RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador Deputy Chief Colin McNeil, RNC Patricia Hynes-Coates, Nick's stepmother, and Terry Coates, Nick's father Established in 2019, the award is named in honour of Nick Coates and pays tribute to him and to all victims of impaired driving. Nick was killed by an impaired driver in St. John's in August 2013. He was riding his motorcycle back from a work meeting when he was hit by a pickup truck. Nick died in hospital later that day. He was just 27 years old. Since his death, Nick's family has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving. Nick's stepmother, Patricia Hynes-Coates, is a former National President of MADD Canada. MADD Canada thanks Patricia Hynes-Coates, Nick's father Terry Coates, the RCMP and the RNC for their ongoing support of the Awards program and annual presentation ceremony. For more information or to RSVP for the event, contact: Shayla Morag Steeves, MADD Canada Atlantic Regional Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 232 or ssteeves@ Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data