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Broadcast time: 11:30 AM |
Date: June 18, 2020 |
On June 17, 2020, at approximately 8:25 PM, officers were dispatched to a hotel room in the 1100 block of Christina Street North regarding a 911 hang-up call.
Officers were made aware that the unit was currently being rented to 34-year-old Ashley Ann Wakefield who was on a current release, with conditions, not to have any contact with William Thomas Gallerno, 39 years of age.
The unit door was answered by Gallerno who advised officers that Wakefield was also in the room. The officers attempted to have Gallerno leave the hotel property as Wakefield was not supposed to be with him. Gallerno left the room but remained outside in the general vicinity while officers arrested Wakefield for breaching her conditions.
Wakefield was handcuffed and was being escorted back to a cruiser when Gallerno became very upset and confronted the officers by yelling in their face. As the officers attempted to walk away from Gallerno, with the prisoner, Wakefield had slipped one of her hands out of her handcuffs and started to yell for Gallerno to help her. Officers attempted to regain control of Wakefield at which point Gallerno interfered by attempting to pull Wakefield away from the officers’ custody.
As the struggle continued further officers attended to assist. During the struggle it is alleged that Wakefield grabbed onto an officer’s firearm, while in the holster, which required the officer to dislodge her hand from the gun and secure it.
Ultimately both accused were arrested with no further incident and are currently in custody.
Ashley Ann Wakefield faces the following charges:
- Failure to comply with release order
- Escape lawful custody
- Resist Peace Officer
- Disarming a Peace Officer
William Thomas Gallerno faces the following charges:
- Facilitating breach by communicating
- Obstruct Justice
- Resist Peace Officer
Both suspects are currently awaiting a bail hearing.
Constable Giovanni Sottosanti
Media Officer
Tel: 519-344-8861 Ext 6168
Email: 168@police.sarnia.on.ca