Emirati charged in high-speed police chase

He removed his license plate before speeding down the highway, taking his car off-road and resisting arrest, prosecutors said.

DUBAI // An unemployed man who led three police cars on a highway chase was charged with endangering lives, damaging property and resisting police officers, a Dubai court heard yesterday.

According to court records, HR, 21, an Emirati, took his black Jeep Wrangler to a petrol station on December 24. At the station, he

removed his car’s licence plate and resumed driving on Emirates Road, records show.

A Dubai Police patrol car spotted the Jeep speeding down the road, noting that it had no licence plate. The officers flashed their lights at the driver and ordered him to pull over.

But HR is accused of ignoring police and speeding away. He took his car off-road in a bid to lose the police, but they called for backup and were joined by two other patrol cars.

HR testified he was not aware to his actions on the day of the incident.

When his car returned to the road, the police cars boxed him in to force him into stopping his car. But he continued driving at 160kph and rammed into one of the police vehicles, which spun out near the DragonMart.

HR’s car was pushed to the pavement due to the severity of the crash, records show.

He told prosecutors that when he got out of his vehicle, the officers threw him to the ground and assaulted him.

“The dragged me on the ground by my kandoura, uncovering my private parts,” he said, adding that they also insulted him.

MH, 28; HA, 23; and AS, 27, who were among the police officers involved in the chase, testified he tried to resist them as he was being arrested.

A verdict will be issued on April 13.