PEI

Alberta man charged with assault after allegedly refusing to go through P.E.I. airport COVID-19 screening

A 35-year-old man from Alberta has been charged with assault after allegedly refusing to go through COVID-19 screening at the Charlottetown Airport.

Man allegedly pushed health-care worker aside and bypassed the screening area

Charlottetown Airport seen through airplane passenger window. (Jane Robertson/CBC)

A 35-year-old man from Alberta has been charged with assault after allegedly refusing to go through COVID-19 screening at the Charlottetown Airport.

Charlottetown Police say the man and a 41-year-old woman — who were passengers of an incoming flight around 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning — went past the airport's screening centre.

The man allegedly pushed a health-care worker aside, after which the pair bypassed the area and left the airport.

According to a news release, police "were able to intercept the pair and arrested them." 

Police said the man was from Bellevue, in southern Alberta.

Both of them were issued a $1,050 fine for violating the Public Health Act.

The man was charged with assault, was released with conditions and has a provincial court appearance at a later date.

With files from Sheehan Desjardins