Man charged after officer hurt in car accident
A 21-year-old man was tonight charged with seriously injuring a policeman dragged hundreds of yards down a road by a car trying to escape a routine police traffic check.
He faces seven charges including causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving and is due to appear in court in the morning.
The officer suffered multiple injuries, including serious head injuries, when he tried to stop a car driving off after it had been stopped in Newcastle, Co Down early today during a clamp down on traffic offenders.
He remained in a serious condition in hospital tonight.
Another officer thrown clear of the car after being dragged only a short distance was treated in hospital for leg injuries and later released.
The officers had stopped a white Audi car with four people on board and told the driver to get out.
While they were talking to him the man ran back to the car and, as the officers tried to get him out again, drove off at speed.
Other officers used a “stinger” device to try to stop the car, but punctured only one tyre and it continued down the road.
One of the officers clinging to the vehicle was thrown clear while his colleague was thrown to the road only after being dragged several hundred yards.
Police said the car was later spotted driving at speeds of up to 90mph some miles away and eventually stopped when another stinger was deployed and punctured the other tyres.
When the driver was arrested as the car came to a halt his passengers were no longer in the vehicle. The car had not been stolen, said police.
The accused is due to appear in court in Downpatrick facing the seven charges which including causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, no insurance, failing to stop and failing to provide a specimen.
