Gardai stop driver, 16, who went wrong way down Limerick motorway
AN UNDERAGE driver who thought he could escape gardai by driving the wrong way down a Limerick motorway was arrested after a major containment operation in the city and county.
A garda spokesperson confirmed to the Limerick Leader that a car failed to stop when directed to do so by gardaí in Raheen, on the outskirts of Limerick city, after 11pm on Saturday night.
It is understood that the vehicle in question - a Volkswagen Golf - being driven by a 16-year-old boy made its way onto the M20 and drove the wrong way down the motorway in the direction of Patrickswell.
Drivers of a number of vehicles had to take evasive action to prevent a serious road traffic collision.
“Gardaí put in place a managed containment operation in Limerick. The vehicle later came to a stop in the Patrickswell area following a collision with an unmarked garda vehicle. No injuries were reported," said a garda spokesperson.
Six male youths were arrested and taken to a garda station in Limerick.
“All six have since been released. Investigations are ongoing,” said the garda spokesperson.
It is believed the six boys are all teenagers and all associates.
According to one source, there were up to eight garda vehicles involved in the pursuit and “managed containment operation”.
“The guards stopped them, all young fellows, in their tracks anyway and arrested them. That hour of a Saturday night there would be people coming home so thank God the guards caught them before there was a serious incident,” they said.