Traffic stop ends in warrant discovery

SANDPOINT — Cutting off a police officer in traffic is never a smooth move.

Doing so while being the subject of an extraditable felony warrant is an even worse move, a Sandpoint man learned on Thursday.

Officer Rob Dressel was driving on Pine Street when he noticed a cyclist on Forest Avenue approaching the intersection. But instead of stopping for traffic which had the right of way, John W. Grimes sprinted his bike through the intersection and raised his hands as though victoriously crossing a finish line, a police report said. Grimes’ dash forced Dressel and another motorist to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting Grimes.

Dressel contacted Grimes to warn him about the rules of the road, but Grimes allegedly sped off on the bike after providing the officer with his name, touching off a brief pursuit on the bike and pedestrian path and side streets alongside U.S. Highway 2 that culminated in Grimes’ arrest for obstruction.

It turned out the Grimes was wanted in Nevada County, Calif., on charges of unlawful use and possession of tear gas, in addition to domestic violence, according to court documents.

Grimes, 35, was also wanted on additional local charges of misdemeanor assault and vandalism for allegedly intimidating a woman and slashing her tires during a domestic altercation in October, court records indicate.

Grimes made an initial appearance via video feed from the Bonner County Jail on Friday. Judge Tera Harden set Grimes’ bail at $55,000 and appointed a public defender to represent him.

Extradition proceedings are pending. He advised the court he was pleading not guilty to all of the local charges.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.