An underage driver in a Land Rover thought it was a good idea to put on a balaclava and threaten other cars on the road. Police responded to a report of the vehicle speeding and going out of control, but they struggled to bring the 15-year-old driver to a halt at first. Fortunately, bodycam video shows a patrol car successfully ramming the vehicle with a tactical maneuver before it gets trapped by police.
15-year-old’s Land Rover brought to a halt by force
Earlier in August, police in South Yorkshire pursued a 15-year-old boy who was driving recklessly in a black Land Rover Discovery through the streets of Doncaster, according to a press release published on August 17.
Officers from the department’s Motorcycle and Rural Crime Team (MARCT) were alerted to the car after it was spotted speeding in the Adwick area with its occupants wearing ski masks. After refusing to stop, the vehicle was pursued by police.
During the chase, the Land Rover reached speeds of 67 miles per hour in a 40-mph zone and 50 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone, while endangering other drivers on the road by pulling in front of them at junctions and “even driving head-on towards our officers.”
The dashcam video posted on Instagram shows the tail end of the pursuit with an officer choosing to bring the vehicle to a halt by force. The patrol car pulls along the side of the Land Rover and rams the right side of the vehicle, causing it to swerve and stop. Meanwhile, another officer on a motorcycle is seen boxing the Land Rover in on the other side. He brings the 15-year-old out of the vehicle and orders him to bob down as he holds him on the ground.
The underage driver was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance or a license, and for possession of an offensive weapon after a bladed article was found in the vehicle.
Commenters on the video praised the officers for their swift work in stopping the driver. One user was surprised, though, that the patrol car didn’t have an accessory that many police vehicles in America have on their front: “I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, put bull bars on these police cars. It will save a ton of money in repairs!”
