Man arrested after trying to flee traffic stop

A traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a man after he tried to escape police because he allegedly didn’t have his driver’s license with him.

A video of the arrest circulated on social media yesterday, showing a police officer pulling a man out of his vehicle with the help of others, before pinning him to the ground and cuffing him.

The video prompted a response from DPS, which said in a statement that the man had been arrested because he tried to flee the scene when police conducted a traffic stop and asked him for his license.

According to the DPS’ statement, a patrol officer noticed at around 4:48pm last Wednesday, Jan. 3, a yellow Ford Mustang that was weaving in and out of the northbound and southbound inner lanes of Chalan Pale Arnold in Garapan.

The officer pulled over the vehicle on the shoulder of the northbound lane near the Commonwealth Health Center. The officer then approached the driver and explained the reason for the stop. However, the driver, a 38-year-old Asian male, reportedly became upset and informed the officer that he didn’t have his driver’s license with him and was on his way home.

DPS said that, as the officer continued questioning the driver, the driver suddenly turned on the car’s engine and tried to flee. The officer quickly opened the driver’s door and tried to turn off the car engine and a struggle ensued.

A second officer arrived on scene to assist but the driver allegedly continued to resist arrest.

During the struggle, DPS said, the driver kicked the officer conducting the traffic stop in the stomach.

As the struggle continued, another officer and two off-duty law enforcement officers arrived to help restrain the “uncooperative and combative” driver.

The officers were able to subdue the driver, and place him in handcuffs. He was secured in the patrol car and was taken to the Department of Corrections to be booked and detained.