24-year-old rams police car in Vienna's Landstraße district during cocaine-fuelled pursuit; three officers injured
A 24-year-old evaded a police checkpoint in Vienna and rammed a patrol vehicle in the process. Three police officers were injured; the man stated he was under the influence of cocaine.
High-speed pursuit in Vienna's Landstraße district ends in collision and three injured police officers
A high-speed pursuit took place in Vienna's Landstraße district overnight on Saturday, ending in a collision. According to Kronen Zeitung, a 24-year-old driver evaded a police stop at approximately 2.55 a.m. and drove off at high speed. Several patrol cars subsequently gave chase.
In the area of Erdberger Lände, the driver accelerated on a slip road at significantly elevated speed. Shortly afterwards, the situation escalated: the 24-year-old rammed a patrol car with his vehicle – apparently in an attempt to escape the police stop.
When the vehicle finally came to a halt, officers used physical force to remove the man from the car. According to police, the 24-year-old put up massive resistance.
Three police officers were injured during the operation and had to end their shift early. Significant damage was caused to the suspect's car and the patrol vehicle. The man was initially taken into custody.
During questioning, the 24-year-old told police he had been under the influence of cocaine. Following consultation with the Vienna State Prosecutor's Office, he was released on bail pending trial. Investigations are ongoing.
Source: Kronen Zeitung