A driver who last night allegedly sideswiped a police officer while fleeing an inspection checkpoint in Taipei was early this morning arrested in Taichung and later tested positive for ketamine, police said.
The man, surnamed Wan (萬), has been handed over to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on charges of assault, driving under the influence of drugs and obstruction of police in their official duties, police said.
When traffic police in Taipei pulled Wan over at about 9pm yesterday, he initially feigned cooperation but then sped off, sideswiping an officer with his car, police said.
Photo: CNA
Other officers at the scene opened fire in an attempt to stop the driver, but to no avail, police said.
A task force was assembled to track down the driver, and with the help of traffic surveillance footage, he was found at about 3am today in Taichung's Dongshi District (東勢), they said.
The suspect was arrested, and his vehicle was seized, police said, adding that he later tested positive for ketamine, which is listed as a Category 3 narcotic in Taiwan.
Wan, who was previously convicted of fraud and offenses against personal freedom, told police that he had fled the checkpoint because he had ketamine in his vehicle, they said.
Police said they are tracking down a passenger who was in the car with Wan when he fled and was reportedly dropped off on the way to Taichung, where Wan lives.
The officer who was knocked over at the checkpoint sustained only minor injuries and is in a stable condition after receiving treatment, police said.
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