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4 police officers injured in arrest of naked man walking near Lower Mainland river: RCMP

Leandro Lamar Roth is accused of assaulting a police officer, but remains at large
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RCMP. (Phil McLachlan - Black Press Media)

Police responding to reports of a nude man in Coquitlam back in June ended with four officers in hospital – one of them seriously injured – and assault charges laid against a local man.

On Thursday (July 23), RCMP announced that Leandro Lamar Roth, 40, has been charged for allegedly assaulting a police officer causing bodily harm. Originally, police issued a warrant for his arrest.

He has since turned himself into police.

The incident happened just before midnight on June 18 after police received reports of a naked man walking on Lougheed Highway near the Pitt River, RCMP said.

When the first officer arrived on scene, the naked man – allegedly Roth – ran into nearby bushes. The officer followed the man and told him he was under arrest before attempting to get the man a blanket, police said.

That’s when he allegedly reacted by punching the officer without warning and continuing to assault him when he fell to the ground.

Four other police officers attended the scene. Police said that two conducted energy weapons were used to arrest the man, who was then taken to hospital for minor injuries and later released.

Three police officers were also treated at the hospital for minor injuries. Another office is still receiving ongoing treatments for an unknown serious injury, although they have been able to return to work.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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