A woman is in stable condition after an alleged attack by her common-law partner, whom she had a protection order against, police said.
The man faces attempted murder and kidnapping charges after police allege he forced her into a vehicle, assaulted her, then deliberately crashed into a parked vehicle.
Around 2:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, a couple started arguing in front of a nightclub in the 500 block of Portage Avenue, said police. At one point, the 31-year-old man forced the 22-year-old woman into the passenger seat of a vehicle and assaulted her in the upper body while driving dangerously, said police.
The man then allegedly guided the passenger side in the direction of a parked semi-trailer near Arlington Street and St. Matthews Avenue, crashing into it, police said.
The man ran off, leaving the woman trapped in the vehicle. Emergency crews needed to use the Jaws of Life to get the woman out of the wreck.
She is listed in stable condition, police said on Sunday.
Shortly before midnight on January 1, police found and arrested the suspect.
Christopher Rutherford is charged with attempted murder, forcible confinement, kidnapping, two counts of assault, overcoming resistance by attempting to chock, suffocate or strangle another person, and uttering threats.
He also faces five counts of failing to comply with a recognizance and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
The incident should open up conversations about being in healthy relationships, said Winnipeg police Const. Jason Michalyshen.
"We’ve talked a lot about domestic violence. It’s a topic that is obviously a big part of the daily operations of the Winnipeg Police Service, unfortunately," he said.
