Man arrested for assaulting police officer at accident scene

A man who confronted police as they managed traffic at an accident scene on Route 440 early Wednesday evening spent the night in jail and will be making a court appearance today.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was among the emergency responders at the scene of the single-vehicle accident on the north shore of the Bay of Islands, which involved a man trapped inside the vehicle with serious injuries.

About an hour after police arrived, an officer conducting traffic duty was approached by an irate man who was not involved in the accident. According to the RNC, the man’s verbal aggression towards the police turned to violence that resulted in him being arrested for assaulting a police officer.

The 54-year-old resident of Pinchgut Lake was held in custody and was also charged with resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer from carrying out their duties, uttering threats to cause death or harm, and breaches of a court order.

According to provincial court docket information, Terrance Joseph Blanchard appeared in provincial court on the charges Thursday and had a bail hearing set for Friday morning.

The man who had been hurt in the car accident had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Corner Brook Fire Department. He was transported to Western Memorial Regional Hospital and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The RNC Accident Investigation Section and Forensic Identification Section completed a thorough scene examination, which disrupted steady traffic flow for about four hours. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.