Man allegedly assaulted officer during arrest for reckless driving: North Vancouver RCMP

North Vancouver RCMP say they arrested and charged the driver of a red Dodge Caravan, seen in this handout photo, on Friday, Aug. 23.

A New Westminster man has been charged with several offences after he allegedly drove recklessly and didn’t stop for police in North Vancouver last Friday.

Local Mounties say they received “several” reports of someone driving erratically westbound on Highway 1 near Mountain Highway around 9 p.m. that night.

Police then found the suspected vehicle, a red Dodge Caravan, near East 13 Street and St. Georges Avenue and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver allegedly didn’t pull over and kept driving.

“Due to increased public safety concerns, officers did not pursue the vehicle,” a news release issued Monday reads.

The minivan was later spotted again near Lonsdale Avenue and West 22nd Street, after it had crashed in to the sidewalk, police said, adding the driver then fled on foot and officers chased him down.

“The suspect was ultimately taken into custody, but not before he allegedly assaulted police officers and attempted to disarm one police officer during the arrest process,” the North Vancouver RCMP wrote. “One officer was injured and was taken to the hospital and later released.”

Benjamin Orion Carlson Kohlman, 45, has now been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, resisting an officer and attempting to take an officer’s weapon, as well as two counts of assaulting a peace officer.

Police say Kohlman was held in custody pending his next court appearance scheduled for Monday.

“The investigation is still ongoing and officers are looking to speak to anyone who was in the area of Highway 1 and Mountain Highway, East Keith Road at Queensbury Avenue, East 13th Street and St. Georges Avenue and may have witnessed anything,” said Const. Mansoor Sahak in the release. “Investigators are specifically looking to speak to anyone whose dash cam or CCTV may have captured the vehicle driving erratically.”

Anyone with that information is asked to call the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311 and reference police file number 24-17214.