Ballymena: Man charged after car driven at police officers

Image source, PSNI

Image caption, The car lost a front tyre as its driver tried to evade arrest

A man has been charged with a number of motoring offences after three police officers were injured in Ballymena, County Antrim.

The officers were responding to an incident at a house on Rathkeel Road on Thursday night.

A car was allegedly driven directly at one of the officers outside the home but they jumped out the way.

It then rammed a stationary police car before hitting another officer, while a third jumped out of the way.

Police eventually stopped the car using a stinger device.

The driver had driven off in the direction of Broughshane, losing a tyre on the way and striking another car travelling along the same road.

Police gave chase, and after the stinger was deployed, the suspect crashed into the fence of a house on Whinsmoor Road.

A 35-year-old has been charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking causing damage to the vehicle and driving when unfit through drink or drugs.

He is expected to appear before Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Despite being injured, all three of the officers involved remained on duty for the remainder of the night.