A Chatham man will have to explain himself to a judge in court after allegedly assaulting a police officer and setting the backseat of a squad car on fire.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service said officers were called to a home on Fourth Street in Chatham at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday after a man attempted to force his way into the residence.
According to authorities, an unwanted man attempted to gain entry to the home. The resident attempted to close the door to prevent his entry, and the man spat at the victim before leaving.
Officers located the man nearby, but he became uncooperative and fled from police. The man was located again and arrested, but he continued to act aggressively toward police. While being transported to police headquarters, the man used a concealed lighter to ignite the rear seatbelt of the police cruiser.
While the incident caused damage to the cruiser, no injuries were reported.
A 41-year-old Chatham man is now charged with assault, assaulting a peace officer, obstructing a peace officer, and mischief under $5,000. He was held in custody for a bail hearing.
