Man arrested for attempted murder after driving car at PSNI officers in Ballymena

A man has been arrested in Ballymena on suspicion of attempted murder of three police officers.

The 35-year-old has also been arrested on aggravated vehicle taking, criminal damage and dangerous driving.Officers were responding to a disturbance at a house on Rathkeel Road at 11.30pm on Thursday when a red Vauxhall Vectra was driven at one of the officers forcing him to jump out of the way.

The driver continued for a short distance before ramming a stationary police vehicle, causing the car to hit a nearby officer and forcing another to jump out of the way.The suspect continued in his vehicle in the direction of Broughshane, losing a tyre on the way, which struck another car.

Police successfully pursued the vehicle, deploying a stinger device. The Vectra then came to a stop, hitting the fence of a house on Whinsmoor Road.

The driver was arrested and remains in police custody. He will also be questioned in connection with the disturbance at the property.Chief Inspector Adrian Bryan said: “Despite being injured during the incident, all three of the officers involved remained on duty for the remainder of the night. The work police officers do to keep people safe and protect the public should never be taken for granted.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.