BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
14/03/2008
Police use human shield to stop car
Traffic police in Belarus are being criticised after using four unwitting drivers in an attempt to stop a drunk driver. They used the cars as a shield to try to make the speeding motorist stop but failed when he smashed through, risking six lives including a child.
The incident happened eight kilometres from the Belarus capital of Minsk.
Police received an order to stop, by whatever means, a drunk driver speeding down the highway.
Four random cars were stopped by police on the highway and ordered to line up in a row. At the time the drivers had no idea what was going to happen.
"When I saw flashing lights in my rear-view mirror, only then I understood police wanted to make a shield of us in order to stop the driver," says one of the endangered drivers.
Eventually the red Volkswagen smashed into the car fence built by police.
"When I opened my eyes I saw my Toyota's hood in the offender's car's door. I was in a stupor, in shock, and then I heard someone shouting his car was on fire - I put mine in reverse and stepped on the gas, because it might have burst into flames too," says Elena, whose car was hit first.
After smashing Elena's Toyota the Volkswagen crashed into another car with a couple and their 3-year old child in it.
The drunk offender in now in hospital.
The head of road police is apologizing for the incident and condemning the action of those who made the decision.
Luckily no one died in the incident, but several people received head injuries and serious shock.
They still don't understand why police didn't build the shield out of their own cars.
Source:
http://www.russiatoday.ru/features/news/22106
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