Third driver arrested for ‘trying to run over PSP agents’
In an upsetting weekend for a number of PSP agents, at least three people were arrested for using their cars to either try to hit them, or avoid orders to stop.
At least one of the agents has had to be treated in hospital. The others appear to have escaped without serious injuries.
The incidents took place in the north (Porto and Guimarães) and in Algueirão, Sintra: the latter starting as an incident with a pit bull dog that was “walking freely on the streets, without a lead or muzzle”.
Residents called police on Saturday morning to report the incident, saying they were frightened to leave their homes. On arrival ‘at the scene’, the dog is reported to have tried to bite the agents, and his owner “did nothing to stop it”.
The owner then allegedly got into a car, and “accelerated in the direction of police”.
Reinforcements were called; the owner was eventually arrested, as was his mother, who had apparently shouted abuse at the police.
Fast-forward to the evening, and two Operation Stops went pear-shaped when drivers ‘refused to stop’, and hit PSP agents standing in the road. Both drivers were arrested; one (in Guimarães) was detained after crashing shortly afterwards: he was found to be driving without a licence, without insurance, and drunk, according to Jornal de Notícias. The Porto incident involved the rogue driver hitting a police car, inside of which was at least one PSP agent. It was in this incident that the victim had to receive hospital treatment. It is not explained how the driver was arrested (or in what condition), but it may have been as a result of his car ‘stopping’ on impact with the police car.
Source: Correio da Manhã/ Jornal de Notícias/ SIC Notícias/ Observador
