JOHOR BARU: A suspected drug user’s attempt to flee from the police ended with his vehicle crashing into three other cars near the Pasir Gudang Highway here.
Police patrolling in Taman Mount Austin at around 11.40am on Thursday (Jan 16) had approached the 39-year-old suspect in a red car after observing him driving recklessly.
“The suspect sped off, prompting a 4km police pursuit. He drove recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic while posing danger to the other road users,” said Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat.
“He then crashed into three vehicles when he was approaching the turn off to the Pasir Gudang Highway in Taman Daya here,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 16) evening.
The suspect, however, refused to get out of the stalled vehicle even when instructed by police, he added.
The suspect was arrested shortly after with 12.99g of syabu, 13.59g of heroin and an assortment of drug pills pulled out of the vehicle by police.
ACP Raub said the suspect tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine via a urine sample.
“The car that he drove had a false registration number, expired road tax and the suspect also does not possess a driver’s licence,” he said, adding that the unemployed man had 16 prior criminal and drug records.
“Apart from crashing into the three vehicles in his attempt to shake off the police, the suspect also rammed into a security barrier arm at a public flat in Taman Mount Austin,” he added.
A driver of one of the three cars suffered minor injuries to his arm as a result of the crash and was treated at a private clinic.
Those in the two other vehicles were unhurt.
ACP Raub said the suspect would be investigated for driving without a licence and road tax, for obstructing a civil servant from exercising his duty, and for drug possession and abuse.
A video clip showing a policeman pointing a gun at the suspect, who was sitting in the stalled vehicle, also made rounds on social media.