Police officer bitten as ‘out of towners’ accused of Kalbarri assaults
A young woman allegedly bit a police officer on the arm, while a man is said to have stolen an officer’s hat when their car was stopped over reports it was being driven erratically around Kalbarri.
The group of “out-of-towners” who were allegedly running amok in the seaside tourist town have been charged with a series of crimes.
Kalbarri Police pulled over a 23-year-old man who was behind the wheel of a vehicle on Grey Road just after 5pm on Saturday, and he allegedly blew a blood alcohol reading more than three times the legal limit.
His licence was immediately disqualified following the 0.154 reading.
The routine traffic stop should have ended there, but a 22-year-old female passenger is alleged to have then assaulted one of the responding officers.
Kalbarri Police officer-in-charge Darren Connor said the female passenger allegedly bit the officer on the arm during a physical struggle.
The Mandurah resident was also charged with obstructing police and is scheduled to appear in the Kalbarri Magistrates Court on February 16.
“It’s disappointing people choose to treat police that way when they are just trying to do their job.,” Sgt Connor said.
Another passenger, a 27-year-old man from Ravenswood, was arrested and charged with stealing after he allegedly stole a police officer’s baseball cap.
He was issued a $500 on-the-spot fine.
Sgt. Connor said stealing a police officer’s hat was an incredibly disrespectful act.
“It’s a low blow,” he said. “It just shows a lack of respect. People think it’s within their rights to cause police grief.”
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