Seven police officers were injured last night during the arrest of a suspected drink driver in west Belfast.
A PSNI spokeswoman said the incident began when a patrol stopped the driver of a car after he was seen drinking from a can of beer on the Whiterock Road at about 1.20 a.m.
As a police officer leaned in the driver's window to question him, the car took off and did a U-turn down the road. The officer was dragged for 15 metres along the street, bruising his leg and shoulder. His injuries are not life-threatening.
The car sped off and drove around west Belfast until it was stopped by the PSNI, who place a Stinger along the Springfield Road. The car continued for another mile with two burst tyres, until it eventually crashed into a Land Rover on the Whiterock Road.
The driver reversed, ramming another Land Rover and a police car. Six police officers were injured in the rammings, suffering slight injuries to their backs and legs. None were seriously wounded.
The driver was arrested. There were two other men in the car, but they were not detained.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/e8fa4512-dd7b-401d-9688-d4e6bf1533c3.png)