Chase around city ends in ramming of Garda car
It followed the burning out of a car in the Lough area of the city just after midnight. It is believed the incidents are linked.
The alarm was raised at about 12.20pm when a car was reported to be ablaze at the Lough.
A small white vehicle was reported leaving the area at high speed. Gardaí from Togher responded and found a white Toyota Starlet car driving at speed towards the city’s western suburbs.
The driver ignored calls to stop and sped off towards the South Ring Road before heading west towards the Viaduct. Gardaí pursued the car as it headed for Ballinhassig but lost sight of it for some time.
They remained in the area and spotted the car again driving at speed and erratically back towards the city.
They began following it again but decided it was too risky to continue the pursuit in built-up residential areas.
They backed off and alerted other Garda units in the city. A few minutes later, a member of the public reported a white car driving dangerously and at high speed on the Lee Road, westbound towards Inniscarra.
Gardaí from Gurranabraher responded and came across the car in the Inniscarra area just before 1.30am.
They also began pursuing it towards Ovens before it drove city-bound towards Ballincollig town centre.
Meanwhile, a Garda checkpoint was set up on the town’s main street.
The white car stopped before the checkpoint as the pursuing Garda car closed in. But as uniformed officers manning the checkpoint approached the driver on foot, the car’s engine revved and it drove off and mounted a footpath.
It drove for some distance along the path close to the town’s Garda station and struck several trees.
The driver then tried to drive back on to the road but the car crashed in to an unmarked Garda car which was parked near the checkpoint.
Two male officers who were sitting inside suffered neck, shoulder and facial injuries. They were treated at Cork University Hospital but discharged later.
The driver of the car was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drink driving.
He was taken to CUH for treatment for what were suspected to be burn injuries. His hair and clothing was also singed. He was released after treatment and taken to Togher Garda Station for further questioning. He is 27 and from the northside of the city.
A Garda spokesman said they are still investigating a motive for the torching of the car at the Lough.
