The car was severely damaged. — © Rivierenland Police Zone
Mechelen, Willebroek, Puurs-Sint-Amands, Bornem –
Last weekend, the local Rivierenland police caught 19 drivers who had drunk too much or were driving under the influence of drugs. A driver who fled from a check in Mechelen could only be caught after a mad chase.
The police pulled over a total of 843 motorists for a check. 19 were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Six drivers lost their driving license for fifteen days.
One driver made a huge fuss. When he noticed a police car on the N16 towards Mechelen, just past the Battel complex, and suspected that an alcohol check was taking place a little further on, he braked abruptly. “The driver turned off his lights and backed up. Against the direction of travel, and this on a motorway,” says police spokesman Dirk Van de Sande. “Once back at the Battel complex, he turned around and fled towards Willebroek. Our people gave chase and determined that he reached speeds of up to 115 kilometers per hour.”
About fence
The man continued to drive without lights and tried to shake off the police. “Between the intersections with Battelsesteenweg and Leestsesteenweg he lost control of his steering wheel, ended up in the lane for traffic in the other direction and crashed into the raised central reservation. A front tire of his car was damaged.”
Despite the flat tire, the man continued to refuse to stop. “On the Gentsesteenweg he overtook another car at a speed of more than 100 kilometers per hour, but was unable to merge in time. He again ended up on a raised median, knocked out a traffic sign and eventually came to a stop against a lighting pole. The driver then took off running and climbed over an iron fence at a company site. There he tried to hide, but was arrested by our people.” (Read more below the photo)
© Rivierenland Police Zone
It quickly became clear why the driver did not want a police check. “He was driving with a provisional driver’s license and was therefore not allowed to drive on a weekend night. In addition, the man tested positive for the use of cannabis and cocaine and he had also drunk too much.”
The car turned out to be registered in his mother’s name and was badly damaged. The driver in question had injured himself while climbing over the fence and required medical attention.
Disabled card
Another motorist tested positive for cannabis use and also drove with a provisional driver’s license. Four others had drunk too much. One of them also misused a disabled card. It was issued in someone else’s name.
“Normally, the driver’s license of a seventh driver would also have been revoked because he was driving under the influence of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol. However, the man could not produce his driver’s license because it had been revoked by the police judge,” Van de Sande added.
Twelve motorists were given a driving ban of three to six hours. One of them was caught when he drove 135 kilometers on Koning Boudewijnlaan in Willebroek. A pizza delivery boy was arrested for using his mobile phone on his moped. The man was fined 184 euros.