A man from Grand Bend is facing multiple charges after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop and nearly striking pedestrians and police officers during two separate encounters with OPP on Friday. The Lambton County OPP say the incident began just after 5 p.m. on Aug. 28 during a seatbelt enforcement campaign near Main Street and Kitchener Avenue in Grand Bend. Police say the driver fled after being stopped, nearly hitting several pedestrians as he left the area. According to the OPP, the vehicle then travelled to Oak Street, where officers were conducting a Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spot check. Police say the driver went through the checkpoint and nearly struck three uniformed officers. No injuries were reported. The suspect was later located and arrested. The suspect, 36, of Grand Bend, has been charged with three counts of assault with a weapon and one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. He also faces charges of failing to stop for police, failing to properly wear a seatbelt, making unnecessary noise, driving without a licence, and performing a stunt with a motor vehicle. Lambton OPP is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or surveillance footage from the area to contact police.
