A local Fort MacMurray man is being sent back to prison, receiving a 9 day sentence, for charges in 2013 that included assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. On February 9, 2015 Andrew Matthew Ross entered a guilty plea to the charge of assault with intent to resist arrest in Fort MacMurray Provincial Court. The actual incident leading to the charges occurred on September 25, 2013. On this date complaints of a disturbance by a male knocking on doors was made to law enforcement, and officers responded to the complaint. Upon arrival Ross was located and the officers made an attempt to arrest him because he was intoxicated in public. Ross resisted arrest and attempted to flee from the scene, and this is when he was tackled to the ground by the arresting officer.
The charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer were also filed because Ross tried to grab for the equipment of the arresting officer, and the officer ended up with a gash which required two stictches above his eye to close. Ivan Ladouceur, the defense attorney who is representing Ross, argued to the judge that during the arrest process Ross also received injuries from taking a beating. This argument was dismissed by Judge James Jacques, who said “That’s kind of a consequence.” According to the statement made by Ross “I was hospitalized because of the event that took place. They had to run tests because they were worried I had a fracture. I was dealing with substance abuse. Ever since then I’ve been getting back on my feet and leaving this stuff behind me.”