Man under influence of drugs drives into four police cars

A 28-year-old Emirati man, driving under the influence of drugs, caused a chaotic scene on Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road, resulting in a series of collisions with police vehicles and injuries to two officers.

The incident, which unfolded on March 17 this year, began with a report made to Dubai Police’s operations room about a reckless motorist in a white Nissan Patrol without a number plate.

A task force was formed to apprehend the vehicles and their drivers, and four police patrol cars, including one from Al Barsha Police Station, were dispatched.

Upon arrival, an Emirati police sergeant told Dubai Misdemeanours Court that the motorist, along with three other vehicles, wass driving against the traffic flow, a dangerous manoeuvre that posed a significant threat to both the drivers and other road users.

As the offenders spotted police cars, they began driving against the traffic at high speed, heading towards the roundabout leading to the Lehbab area where additional Bur Dubai police station patrols were stationed.

The presence of these patrols caused the violating vehicles to scatter.

The accused then returned to the correct lane, attempting to escape towards Jebel Ali.

His escape attempt was thwarted by a patrol vehicle, leading to a series of collisions.

Court records show that the offender continued to drive away and, despite multiple orders from the officers to stop, refused to comply, continuing his reckless behaviour and further endangering lives.

The erratic driving on the sharp left lane of the four-lane road saw the suspect’s car surrounded by police vehicles.

In a desperate attempt to evade capture, the driver changed lanes abruptly and rammed into one of the police cars. This collision set off a chain reaction, with the suspect’s vehicle impacting three more police cars.

The force of these impacts was severe enough to overturn one of the police patrol vehicles. Two police officers sustained severe injuries as a result of the collisions. However, court records did not provide details on the specific nature of their injuries.

Police officers were finally able to bring the situation under control and managed to restrain and apprehend the driver despite his fierce resistance.

Tests revealed that the suspect had consumed Clonazepam and Pregabalin (commonly known under the brand name Lyrica), both of which are medications typically used to treat epilepsy among other conditions.

During prosecution interrogations, the man initially denied the charges but later admitted in court to using drugs, driving under the influence, endangering lives, causing damage to police cars, injuring others, and driving a car without a license plate. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 7.