Shoppers' terror as car chase ends in crash

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The rampage ended in Dunmurry

The rampage ended in Dunmurry
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Village scene of devastation after rampage

Friday, May 09, 2008

By Victoria O'Hara

Several police officers were injured today in a multiple vehicle crash following a dramatic hour-long care chase to stop a rampaging driver during morning rush hour.

Shoppers and residents looked on in shock as one man was arrested at the scene after up to eight vehicles collided in Dunmurry village on the outskirts of Belfast.

Horrified residents and pedestrians today spoke of their terror as the drama unfolded at around 10am near the busy Tesco and local businesses.

A helicopter, emergency services and police back-up were rushed to the scene within moments.

One stunned witness told the Belfast Telegraph: "It is lucky nobody was killed.

"We went out and we could smell the burning.

"There were police cars on fire and there were five cars damaged, I think three were police cars."

The dramatic events unfolded shortly after 8.30am when police received reports that a man had driven off from a house in the Ballyskeagh area of Dunmurry and crashed into a number of vehicles.

Police gave chase, but the man failed to stop and drove off towards Lisburn.

He was later spotted by police driving towards Dunmurry village from the direction of Belfast.

Witnesses said as the car came into the village it was involved in a multiple collision involving police vehicles.

Pauline Beattie, an assistant at Dunmurry Post Office, said she heard a loud crash at about 10am.

"We went out and we could smell the burning. There were police cars on fire and there were five cars damaged, I think three were police cars," she added.

"But the Vauxhall that nearly ran me off the road was one of the cars that had crashed."

Another witness who works in Tesco Dunmurry said police had to smash the car window to get the driver out of the car.

Ms Beattie "It is lucky nobody was killed. The whole area has been cordoned off."

Konrad Drozdz, a local resident said there was complete chaos at the scene.

"I heard a loud crash and ran outside. There were about 15 police men and crowds of people. It looks like two police cars blocked the car as it is stuck in between the two police cars. All of the cars are badly damaged. I saw one man being taken away by police. Ambulance, fire brigade, the police helicopter and lots of police were at the scene. I don't think anyone was injured as I didn't see anyone being taken away in an ambulance."

It is understood the driver was being chased by an unmarked police car from around 7.30am when he drove into the area to escape police.

A local butcher, whose business is on Kingsway in Dunmurry, said he was alerted to the commotion by several loud banging sounds.

"All we heard was bang, bang, bang," he explained. "I did not see it happen at first, it was all so quick. It happened right outside.

"From what I was told the driver came up the street in the car and the police tried to box him in. He tried to get out and tried to ram the police cars. The police could not do anything else but ram the car back.

"Even when the police had managed to stop the vehicle, the driver would not get out of the car. There were about five police cars involved, a couple of unmarked cars and two jeeps. The place is completely closed up."

Another local resident, who also did not want to be named, said a neighbour saw the man being taken away in handcuffs.