Two people have been charged following a police pursuit in Coalisland which saw a patrol car rammed twice and two officers injured.
The incident unfolded on Thursday, October 2, after officers on patrol in the Moor Road area attempted to stop a vehicle with no insurance.
The car sped off and during the pursuit a police vehicle was struck twice – once in reverse and again head-on – before continuing to drive dangerously through the area.
The pursuit came to an end after the suspect’s car entered the grounds of a local GAA club, driving across the pitch in an effort to evade officers. Some damage was caused to the pitch and police have since been liaising with club officials.
A 36-year-old man, who fled on foot before being arrested after a chase, has now been charged with criminal damage and a series of driving offences, including dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drink or drugs. He is due to appear before Dungannon Magistrates’ Court today (Friday, October 3).
Meanwhile, a 29-year-old woman – who police say drove a second vehicle with a young child on board and repeatedly blocked officers during the pursuit – has also been charged. She faces offences including dangerous driving and cruelty to children. She is due before Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 22.
As is standard procedure, the charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.
Chief Inspector Brown had earlier described the pursuit as “unacceptable”, condemning the targeting of officers who were “working to keep their community safe”.
He added that while the injuries sustained by the two officers were not serious, the damage to the patrol vehicle meant it had to be recovered – directly impacting on local policing resources.
Police continue to appeal for information and have asked anyone with dash-cam or CCTV footage to come forward.
