Two police officers were injured in a pursuit in Brussels on Thursday night after a man stole a taxi and rammed several police cars. The suspect could eventually be arrested.
On the night of Thursday to Friday, a patrol from the Brussels-West zone (Molenbeek, Ganshoren, Jette, Koekelberg and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe) spotted a stolen taxi. The driver of the vehicle immediately fled the scene, after which police began the pursuit.
"Two police cars positioned themselves so as to block the vehicle's way, but the driver simply drove past this blockade," said Willemien Baert of the Brussels public prosecutor's office. "In doing so, he damaged the two police cars."
The pursuit continued, with the suspect ramming several more police cars. The stolen vehicle was finally brought to a halt at Place Surlet de Chokier. "There were two people in the vehicle. The passenger managed to flee on foot, but the driver was arrested at the scene by police forces."
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Two police officers were injured during the incident but were able to leave the hospital after being treated. Still, they will be unable to work for three days, the Prosecutor's Office confirmed.
"The 22-year-old suspect was questioned by the police yesterday (Friday) and will be brought before the investigating judge today (Saturday), to decide on his possible arrest for offences of theft and malicious obstruction of traffic."
In the meantime, it was announced that the investigating judge released the man under strict conditions.
