A Winnipeg police officer was assaulted during a traffic stop on Wednesday, but not by the driver that was pulled over.
Police say the officer stopped a vehicle near Ellice Avenue and Vaughan Street at around 5:30 p.m. and was approached by an uninvolved man in the middle of the street who demanded to know why the officer stopped the driver.
The officer asked the man to move to the sidewalk, but the suspect became aggressive and began yelling and swearing at the officer. He then tried to grab the driver’s licence from the officer’s hand, before becoming physically aggressive with the officer.
Additional police arrived on scene and the man turned his aggression towards them. A Taser was used to control the suspect and he was arrested.
Johnathon Mark Couture, 32, has been charged with assaulting a peace officer and remains in custody.
Police say it appears methamphetamine was a contributing factor in the incident.
