‘Grand Theft Auto’ chaos on the roads as two gardaí hospitalised after car rammed

• 40m ago

THERE have been three consecutive nights of chaotic scenes on the country’s roads with gardaí put in danger by reckless drivers.

The repeated dangerous drivers has led some senior investigators to make comparisons with the computer Grand Theft Auto.

In the latest incident last night two gardaí required hospital treatment after their official patrol car was rammed at a hotel car park in Ashbourne, Co Meath.

The officers from Blanchardstown Garda Station had been involved in a pursuit that began in Cabra at around 9pm when a stolen car containing four young people was observed.

The black Toyota Aqua failed to stop for gardaí and drove the wrong way on a dual carriageway, with officers involved in trying to stop the car being told to stand down by their control centre.

A short time later the same stolen car was observed on the M50 in the Finglas area where it clipped another car as it exited the motorway.

The Toyota then drove on to Ashbourne as gardaí pursued it. The chase continued at a hotel car park in the Co Meath town when the vehicle rammed two garda vehicles causing non-life-threatening injuries to the two officers.

From there the stolen car sped to Slane, where it was finally stopped at around 10pm. Four juveniles – three males and a female – were arrested at the scene. They are understood to be from the Ballymun area.

In a statement Mark Ferris, the Garda Representative Association’s representative for DMR West, said today: “The GRA absolutely condemn those that drive so recklessly and cause severe injury to others.

“Our thoughts today are with anyone that was injured, and in particular our colleagues who have been hospitalised for their bravery and dedication while protecting the public they are sworn to serve.

“It is time garda management and the Government got together as a matter of urgency to address this recent escalation in such offences as we fear that it will result in further injuries and loss of life.”

Meanwhile, a manhunt is continuing for a reckless teenage criminal from the Blanchardstown area who was involved in two early morning chase incidents with gardaí while he was also driving a different stolen Toyota Aqua.

The first incident started at around 2am on Saturday when the car was observed in the Mulhuddart area where it drove dangerously in housing estates.

It failed to stop for gardaí who attempted to chase it, but were they ordered to stand down by their control centre when the vehicle drove the wrong way on the N3 towards the city centre.

The suspect got away but the stolen vehicle next came to garda attention at around 3am on Sunday when it again drove the wrong way on the N3 and pursuing gardaí were ordered to stop chasing it.

A short time later the car was observed driving at high speed at housing estates near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and later driving the wrong way down roads.

The suspect has not yet been arrested and the car has not been recovered.

“In the space of roughly 24 hours this stolen vehicle has proceeded to travel the wrong way on the N3 motorway as the driver is aware that Garda cannot pursue it,” a source told Independent.ie.

“Gardaí believe that the assailant is a local juvenile who is risking the lives of motorists and gardaí by recreating scenes from Grand Theft Auto and it is believed he is openly initiating a cat-and-mouse pursuits with local gardaí knowing that they can’t pursue him if he proceeds to travel down the wrong way on a motorway, and has taken this action numerous times.

“Gardaí in west Dublin have voiced their concerns to the GRA indicating that they are hamstrung by the lack of resources including training to effectively conduct their statutory requirements and are calling on senior management to come up with a solution to this ongoing problem before a fatality occurs,” the source added.