Pursuit in Tyrol

Drunk driver flees down a ski slope – shot fired!

The police fired warning shots during the operation (symbolic image).(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

A 26-year-old driver in the Tyrolean Zillertal had a wild and above all spectacular chase with the police on Friday night: the drunk driver tried to flee from the police - the mad dash ultimately even led over a forest path into the ski area, where the driver got out and ran down the slope. The suspect only gave up when the officers fired warning shots.

Shortly before midnight, the "car with a conspicuous driving style" came into the sights of a police patrol on the B169 Zillertalstraße. "The vehicle repeatedly left the lane and drove onto the right-hand verge several times," the investigators describe. The officers used "clear signs" to ask the driver to stop. But he didn't feel like it - and stepped on the gas.

Crashed on a hilltop in the ski area
In the local area, he had exceeded the speed limit by up to 77 km/h. "The journey finally led along a forest road into a ski resort, where the car came to a halt on a hilltop," said the investigators, describing the spectacular scenes.

He ran down the steep ski slope despite it being completely dark. As he ignored all shouts and requests to stop, the officers fired blank shots.

Die Ermittler von der Polizei

The driver then got out and fled on foot. "He ran down the steep ski slope despite it being completely dark. As he ignored all shouts and requests to stop, the officers fired blank shots."

Suspect threw himself on the ground
The man then gave up and ended his escape. "He lay down on the ground and was arrested", the investigators continued. The police emphasized that the shooting caused neither personal injury nor damage to property.

Ticket lost, car confiscated
The suspect is a 26-year-old local man. The escape route was around 20 kilometers in total. A breathalyzer test revealed that he was heavily intoxicated. His driver's license was temporarily confiscated and the car temporarily impounded due to the massive speeding.

The man had seriously injured himself while skiing downhill on the ski slope. He was first treated by the emergency services and then taken to hospital. Corresponding charges will follow.