A routine traffic stop in Saanich escalated into a violent altercation on the early morning of April 21, leaving one officer injured and a man charged with assault.
Saanich police say officers pulled over a vehicle for a broken taillight around 1 a.m. in the 3100-block of Irma Street. Officers reportedly spotted drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle and arrested both occupants.
The female driver was taken into custody without incident. However, police say the male passenger, Zachary Mott, resisted arrest, kicking one officer multiple times and continued to fight even after being removed from the vehicle.
Multiple officers were needed to apprehend Mott.
“The level of violence that our officers experienced during this routine traffic stop is alarming,” said Acting Chief Paul Douglas in a statement.
The man was arrested and held in a Saanich police cell. He was later charged with one count of assaulting a police officer and is scheduled to appear in court on April 30.
Police say he was involved in a second assault on a police officer from another jurisdiction after his release.
A search of the vehicle turned up suspected crack cocaine, two scales, and other items consistent with drug use and trafficking.
Officers involved in the incident were cleared to return to duty.
