Motorist's licence fear sparks car chase

A police bid to pull over a suspicious driver triggered a car chase through the streets of Dubai.

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Dubai // A police bid to pull over a suspicious driver triggered a car chase through the streets of Dubai yesterday. The man refused to stop for the patrol car for fear of being caught driving with a suspended licence. But when police apprehended him the unnamed Emirati learned that his penalty period had expired. Officers suspended his licence for another six months and confiscated his vehicle for one month.

The patrol asked the man, thought to be in his twenties, to stop after they became suspicious. He ignored them and tried to speed away, a police source said. The incident occurred yesterday at 8am, and officers were forced to chase the man down Al Manara Road to the junction of Al Wasl Road, where he was arrested. A motorist at the scene, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that police blocked Al Manara Road with their vehicle.

"All of a sudden loud sirens [come] blaring from nowhere, and then a car slams into the car behind [mine]," he said. "The driver kept his foot on the gas and was trying to propel the car forward then backwards. Then cops from nowhere were on the scene, about eight of them, trying to remove the guy from the car. Eventually, they pulled a young Emirati guy out of the motor vehicle." Only one car was damaged in the chase, police said.

"After checking his record we found his driving licence suspension was already over, but we confiscated his car for one month and suspended his driving licence for another six months," the police source said. @Email:wissa@thenational.ae