A man was tasered and taken into custody after a series of events on Friday evening that eventually led to a standoff with police.
On Sept. 22 shortly after 5:30 p.m., Niagara Regional Police responded to a disturbance call on Neff Street near Elm Street in Port Colborne.
Initial investigation determined a man had been stealing items from a parked pickup truck, police say.
The suspect left the area with the stolen items, police said in a news release.
A short time later the man returned and threatened the truck owner and another person at the scene, police allege.
The suspect attempted to punch the truck owner, according to police. The suspect then armed himself with a shovel and struck the truck's owner with the shovel, police say.
Police say the suspect ran across the street and barricaded himself inside a family member's house.
Officers set up a perimeter and the NRPS Emergency Task Unit was requested, according to police.
Police say the man refused to surrender and assaulted a resident of the house. He smashed a window and began throwing objects at the police on scene.
He exited the house twice taunting officers while continuing to throw pieces of wrought iron fencing.
The third time he exited the house, officers were able to deploy a conducted energy weapon (a taser) and apprehend the suspect. He was arrested at 6:57 p.m.
Edward Robert Guhl, 63, of Port Colborne was arrested and charged with the Criminal Code offences of:
- Theft Under $5,000
- Uttering Threats (three Counts)
- Assault with a Weapon
- Assault (two Counts)
- Mischief Under $5,000
- Assault Peace Officer with a Weapon
Police said Guhl was taken to hospital to be assessed medically. He was later cleared and transported to the NRPS Prisoner Management Unit, where he was held in custody for a video bail hearing via the Robert S. K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.
The owner of the pickup truck and resident of the involved home suffered minor injuries, according to police.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the investigating officers by calling 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1008980.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to anyone who contacts the program with information that leads to an arrest.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and Guhl is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
