RNC officer dragged by car unable to positively ID man charged with assaulting her

A police officer injured in pursuit of a break-in suspect says she's unable to do the work she loved.

Const. Cathy Snelgrove testified at Supreme Court on Tuesday at the trial of Gordon (Gordie) Bishop, accused of dragging Snelgrove with his car.

But on the stand, Snelgrove was unable to positively identify Bishop as the driver of the car.

Bishop, 32, is charged with aggravated assault on Snelgrove, assaulting a second officer, and breaking and entering.

The charges stem from Jan. 2, 2015, when Snelgrove and other officers were called to a suspected break-in at the Peter Easton Pub on Cookstown Road. Snelgrove testified that she tried to stop a man outside the pub from driving away.

Snelgrove, who had reached into the car through the passenger door, was dragged to Lemarchant Street, where she fell out of the car and hit her head.

While Snelgrove testified that Bishop is "consistent" with the person she believes was driving the car that night, she says she can't positively confirm it was Bishop.

Snelgrove testified she's currently working as a dispatcher because she's not physically ready to be on the street.

Const. Evan Farrell took the stand earlier Tuesday, saying that when he arrived at the pub he heard a noise inside and noticed the lock on the door.

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When he and another officer entered the pub, Farrell said he saw a vehicle outside speeding away, and a police officer in the road screaming.

The other officer went outside to help, while Farrell continued his search of the pub. When he went upstairs and looked out the window he saw tracks in the snow.

Farrell said he believed whoever was in the pub jumped out the second-floor window.

Legs dangling out car window

Const. Devon Thompson also testified Tuesday that he responded to the break-in at Peter Easton's Pub because he was on patrol duty in the area.

Thompson said he saw a large metal door pried open. He also heard another officer screaming and when he went into the street, he saw legs dangling out of the passenger side of a small, black car.

He told the court when the car accelerated, the officer fell into the intersection and hit her head.

Thompson said when he re-entered the pub, he found two crowbars and a damaged surveillance system. He also testified he saw footprints in the snow on the roof and on the ground outside the door.