High-speed chase on Ljubljana–Novo Mesto motorway halted with stinger – police officer injured
The driver ignored stop signals and collided with several police vehicles. He was finally stopped with a stinger device near Ivančna Gorica.
Chase on motorway from Krtine to Ivančna Gorica
The Ljubljana–Novo Mesto motorway was closed for an extended period this morning on the section between the Bič and Trebnje junctions due to a police intervention. Žurnal24 obtained details about the course of events from the Ljubljana Police Directorate.
Police officers were notified of dangerous driving by a motorist whose manner of driving endangered other road users. They located him and began to stop him in the Krtine area, but the driver did not respond to the stop signals.
Instead of stopping, he continued driving towards Ljubljana and then along the motorway in the direction of Dolenjska. "During the pursuit, he did drive more slowly, but despite multiple clear signals to stop, he did not do so," the Ljubljana Police Directorate explained.
Stinger and coercive measures
In the Ivančna Gorica area, police officers deployed a vehicle immobilisation device – a stinger. Only after this were they able to stop the driver.
During attempts to stop the vehicle, the driver collided with several police service vehicles and damaged them. None of those present during the collisions was injured.
When police officers stopped him, he resisted, so they used coercive measures against him. During this, one police officer was lightly injured.
Investigation and traffic disruption
Police officers are continuing to gather information about all circumstances of the event, including those related to dangerous driving and obstruction of official action. "All findings will be reported to the competent district public prosecutor's office," the Ljubljana Police Directorate told Žurnal24.
A Žurnal24 journalist who was at the scene estimated that approximately 20 police officers were involved in the intervention. An ambulance was also present at the scene.
The complete motorway closure caused prolonged traffic congestion in the direction of Novo Mesto. The motorway is now open to traffic again.
Source: Žurnal24