Man held after car chase leaves mother, child injured

A motorist left a mother and child injured during a rampage across Dublin before being arrested by gardaí.

The 39-year-old man from west Dublin left behind a trail of destruction during a 45-minute drive.

The man stole two cars, smashed into two vehicles, attempted to ram garda patrol cars, reversed back into a garda motorcyclist and attempted to hijack another car before being captured.

He was brought to Irishtown Garda Station where detectives tried to establish the man’s motive, which put the lives of innocent motorists and gardaí at risk. A garda spokesman said the man was first spotted at 2.35pm driving “like a maniac” around a busy St Stephen’s Green.

He was driving a black Fiat Punto, stolen from Tallaght, west Dublin, the previous night. The car was then near Christchurch, where it was involved in a hit-and-run with a Mercedes.

The driver abandoned his car and fled towards nearby Thomas Street. There he hijacked a taxi. He drove the Toyota Carina towards James’ Street and then drove back towards the city. Gardaí said the car was later spotted in Hetysbury Street, where he smashed into a Vectra. The driver, a mother and her child, were injured in the crash.

The mother had to be cut out of the car by firemen called to the scene. Both were taken to James’ Street Hospital.

Gardaí said there were attempts to ram patrol cars from Irishtown Garda Station, but the officers were unhurt. The driver reversed on a garda motorcyclist, who escaped injury.

The driver was forced to abandon his car and ran onto the opposite side of the road and tried to take another car.

But the dedicated garda motorcyclist gave pursuit, caught him and arrested him at 3.15pm. The man was detained until early this morning under section four of the Criminal Justice Act.