55-year-old woman in court

Stop of a female driver ended in a chase

The woman complied with the stop (symbolic image), then things got turbulent.(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

A Tyrolean woman (55) did not exactly make it easy for the police during a control operation - then the official action even ended in a chase. Now those involved found themselves back in court - on trial for resisting arrest.

It all began very harmlessly with a routine police vehicle check shortly before midnight in Innsbruck on July 30. The 55-year-old woman was stopped and asked to show her driver's license and registration and to submit to an alcohol test.

She obviously did not want to do this: instead, the woman pointed out the Police Security Act to the police officer and asked to see his ID card. When the officer then allowed his colleague to continue the official action, the situation escalated visibly.

For me, the official act was over, so I drove on.

Die Angeklagte beim Prozess

Discussion about the legal basis
"We then had a longer discussion", the defendant simply said succinctly during the hearing. When the policewoman pointed out to her that she would now have to face charges because she was obstructing the official action, the woman simply drove off. "For me, the official act was over," explained the accused Tyrolean woman. However, the police officers vehemently denied any such agreement.

Sudden onward journey and chase
This was followed by a veritable "Wild West action", as the accused's defense lawyer described it. A second patrol car was requested and then took up the pursuit of the woman. "I didn't know what else the police wanted from me," the woman said curtly.

The police drove after her and were finally able to stop her (symbolic image).(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

It was only a police car parked sideways that put an end to it
The police, on the other hand, said that several attempts had been made to "divert" the woman's car and get her to stop. In the end, they decided to take a radical approach: a police car was parked on the highway near an exit to prevent the woman from driving on. She was then gently dragged out of the car and arrested on the spot.

"Undoubtedly obstructing official action"
The judge found the woman guilty on the charge of resisting public authority. "You undoubtedly obstructed official action", the presiding judge explained. The woman must therefore pay a fine of 1680 euros as well as the costs of the proceedings in the amount of 200 euros. The verdict is not yet final.