A high speed chase on Sunday evening ended with a man crashing a car into one of the main entrance to Keflavík International Airport, damaging a security barrier and breaking windows in the airport. The man, who police describes as being in a peculiar state, attacked an officer who attempted to apprehend him. He was arrested at the scene. He has a long history of interactions with local law enforcement.
A routine traffic stop turns into high speed chase
Shortly after five in the afternoon on Sunday Police in South West Iceland was notified of a man driving at dangerously high speeds along Reykjanesbraut highway which connects Reykjavík and the towns on Reykjanes Peninsula. Reykjanesbraut is also the main highway to Keflavík International Airport.
Officers who were patrolling Reykjanesbraut spotted the man driving at 150 km/h (93 mph) near the roundabout leading to the Blue Lagoon. The man refused to stop his car when signaled by the police to pull over, continuing on his way toward the airport. According to the local news site Vísir two patrol cars and a motorcycle chased the man. The patrol cars attempt to force the man to stop or off the road, but he manages to continue into the airport area.
Attacked officer, stole a car
Once the man was inside the airport area he drove over walking paths, causing immediate danger to pedestrians who were in the area. By this time the vehicle the man was driving had suffered serious damage, forcing the man to come to a stop and exit the vehicle. The man then proceeded to walk toward the officers, who assumed he was surrendering. Instead, when one of the officers approaches the man he suddenly jumped the officers, punching him in the face.
The man then ran to a vehicle which was idling nearby, dragged a woman who was sitting by the wheel of the car out of the vehicle. Having stolen a second vehicle the man continued his crazed drive toward the airport terminal, driving through a security gate ultimately crashing the vehicle into the departure hall of the airport. At this point officers finally managed to arrest the man.
A repeat customer of the criminal justice system
The man's motives are not known, but according to the police in SW. Iceland say the man is a repeat customer of the criminal justice system. He is believed to have been under the influence of unidentified substances. He will be interrogated later today when officers judge his condition to have improved to allow him to keep up a conversation.
The police officer who was attacked by the crazed man was the only one to sustain any injuries during the episode.
A high speed chase on Sunday evening ended with a man crashing a car into one of the main entrance to Keflavík International Airport, damaging a security barrier and breaking windows in the airport. The man, who police describes as being in a peculiar state, attacked an officer who attempted to apprehend him. He was arrested at the scene. He has a long history of interactions with local law enforcement.
A routine traffic stop turns into high speed chase
Shortly after five in the afternoon on Sunday Police in South West Iceland was notified of a man driving at dangerously high speeds along Reykjanesbraut highway which connects Reykjavík and the towns on Reykjanes Peninsula. Reykjanesbraut is also the main highway to Keflavík International Airport.
Officers who were patrolling Reykjanesbraut spotted the man driving at 150 km/h (93 mph) near the roundabout leading to the Blue Lagoon. The man refused to stop his car when signaled by the police to pull over, continuing on his way toward the airport. According to the local news site Vísir two patrol cars and a motorcycle chased the man. The patrol cars attempt to force the man to stop or off the road, but he manages to continue into the airport area.
Attacked officer, stole a car
Once the man was inside the airport area he drove over walking paths, causing immediate danger to pedestrians who were in the area. By this time the vehicle the man was driving had suffered serious damage, forcing the man to come to a stop and exit the vehicle. The man then proceeded to walk toward the officers, who assumed he was surrendering. Instead, when one of the officers approaches the man he suddenly jumped the officers, punching him in the face.
The man then ran to a vehicle which was idling nearby, dragged a woman who was sitting by the wheel of the car out of the vehicle. Having stolen a second vehicle the man continued his crazed drive toward the airport terminal, driving through a security gate ultimately crashing the vehicle into the departure hall of the airport. At this point officers finally managed to arrest the man.
A repeat customer of the criminal justice system
The man's motives are not known, but according to the police in SW. Iceland say the man is a repeat customer of the criminal justice system. He is believed to have been under the influence of unidentified substances. He will be interrogated later today when officers judge his condition to have improved to allow him to keep up a conversation.
The police officer who was attacked by the crazed man was the only one to sustain any injuries during the episode.
