Media Release – September 21, 2026

Arrest in downtown incidents

A Guelph man faces charges including assault with a weapon and false fire alarm after a series of incidents downtown Saturday afternoon.

Approximately 3:45 p.m. police were called after a man was observed smashing the window of a vehicle in a parking lot on Macdonell Street.

At 4:30 p.m. a man matching the same description entered a nearby business and demanded to use the bathroom. When told he could not the man began yelling and swearing at employees. He left and was followed by a patron who confronted the man about his behaviour.

The man responded by punching the witness in the chest and throwing a portable speaker which hit the victim in the head. He then entered another business and pulled the fire alarm after again being told he could not use the bathroom.

Officers responded and located the man nearby. Following his arrest a small amount of fentanyl was located.

A 27-year-old Guelph man is charged with assault with a weapon, assault, mischief under $5,000, false fire alarm, possessing a controlled substance and breaching a probation order. He was held for a bail hearing and has been released to appear in court October 20. (Occurrence number GU26063831)

Father, son arrested after officers assaulted

A Guelph father and son each face charges after two police officers were assaulted while responding to a road rage incident Sunday afternoon.

Approximately 1:40 p.m. police responded to the area of Gordon Street and Water Street. Investigation revealed a motorist attempted to pass two people on a moped but sideswiped them. Two males exited the vehicle and began punching the moped riders.

Officers arrived quickly and arrested one man, however the other became combative and attempted to disrupt the arrest. He pushed one officer to the ground causing a minor injury and attempted to spit in the face of another.

A 42-year-old Guelph man and 19-year-old Guelph man are each charged with two counts of assault. The older man is also charged with two counts of assault police, obstructing police and careless driving. Both will appear in court in December. (Occurrence number GU26064028)

Employee scratched during robbery attempt

The Guelph Police Service is investigating after an employee of a west-end business was assaulted by a shoplifter Friday evening.

The employee reported trying to stop a woman who was stealing items just before 7 p.m. from a business near Silvercreek Parkway North and Willow Road. The pair struggled with the employee receiving scratches on their arm which required medical attention.

The suspect was described as a white female, 25 to 35, 5’8” with a medium build and brown hair with blonde highlights and wearing gym-style black shorts and a black shirt. She entered a grey vehicle described as possibly an older Honda Civic.

Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Meagan Lackenbauer at 519-824-1212, ext. 7609, or email mlackenbauer@guelphpolice.ca. (Occurrence number GU26063656)

Arrest after knife held to throat

A Guelph man faces assault and weapons charges after a woman had a knife held to her throat while trying to de-escalate a disturbance Sunday morning.

Approximately 8:25 a.m. police were called to the area of Gordon Street and Nottingham Street. A woman said a man was walking with a knife in his hand when he became involved in an altercation with another man. The woman tried to intervene but the suspect held the knife to her throat before pushing her to the ground and falling on top of her.

Officers located the suspect walking nearby and arrested him. The knife was located nearby and officers also located a second knife, a machete and a box cutter.

A 30-year-old Guelph man is charged with possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault with a weapon, assault and two counts of breaching a probation order. He was held for a bail hearing and has been released to appear in court October 23. (Occurrence number GU26063979)

Impaired charge after collisions

A Guelph man faces an impaired driving charge after colliding with several items downtown Friday night.

Approximately 10:20 p.m. police were notified about a driver exiting a laneway onto Macdonell Street after striking a staircase and several other items.The driver ran two stop signs and almost his a pedestrian before leaving the area.

A short time later the complainant reported the driver had returned to the area on foot and was inside a licensed establishment. He was placed under arrest and transported to the police station, where tests confirmed he had more than the legal amount of alcohol in his system.

His damaged vehicle was located in a downtown parking lot. A 19-year-old Guelph man is charged with impaired driving and dangerous driving.

Also this weekend, a 30-year-old Guelph man was arrested for impaired driving after he was observed leaving a north-end licensed establishment early Saturday and driving erratically.

Both drivers had their licences suspended for 90 days and their vehicles impounded for seven days. They were released with upcoming court dates.

The Guelph Police Service would like to encourage the public to be responsible if they choose to consume alcohol and cannabis. Please don’t drive if you are going to consume alcohol or cannabis, and please ensure that you plan ahead so that you have a safe ride home. Anyone who spots a suspected impaired driver is asked to immediately call 911. (Occurrence numbers GU26063671, GU26063703)

Total calls for service in the last 72 hours - 722