Two gardaí were hospitalized in the early hours of Wednesday after a stolen Audi rammed their patrol car in Finglas, northwest Dublin, sending the vehicle 160 meters down the road on its roof. According to reports from The Irish Times and RTE.ie, the officers managed to crawl out of the wreckage before being rescued and taken for medical treatment.
The Incident in Finglas
The collision occurred shortly after midnight on Wednesday on the old N2 in Finglas, according to The Journal. The two gardaí, a male and a female officer, were en route to deploy a stinger device to halt a suspect vehicle when a stolen 231-registered Audi A6 emerged from a side road and struck their State car at high speed, as reported by The Irish Sun. The impact caused the patrol car to spin sideways, flip onto its roof, and slide uncontrollably until it crashed into a concrete pillar and fence approximately 160 meters from the initial point of impact.
Officer Statements and Injuries
Up to five youths occupied the stolen Audi and fled the scene on foot following the crash, according to The Irish Sun. The male and female gardaí sustained injuries and received hospital treatment, though they have since been discharged. In a statement released through the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and reported by BreakingNews.ie, the male officer described the severity of the event: “I was in fear and was physically shaking after being struck by the stolen Audi. My life flashed before me while we were sliding uncontrollably upside down on a main road.”
Investigation and Prior Footage
The Audi involved in the collision had been stolen from the Santry area on Monday, according to The Irish Sun. Investigators are currently examining social media videos posted by the occupants, including footage showing the driver wearing gloves while evading gardaí on the Navan Road in Dublin, as noted by Dublin Live. While no arrests have been made as of Wednesday, gardaí are reviewing the footage, which clearly displays some of the suspects’ faces.
GRA Response to Officer Safety
Mark Ferris, the DMR West representative for the Garda Representative Association, condemned the incident as part of a troubling pattern endangering frontline workers. In statements reported by The Irish Sun, Ferris noted that he spoke with both officers as they recuperate at home and thanked emergency services for their response. He emphasized that the episode highlights the persistent dangers gardaí face while maintaining public safety.
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