Driver who fled alcohol checkpoint, injured officer detained
A man has been detained for allegedly injuring a traffic police officer while attempting to flee a drink driving checkpoint, Shanghai police said on Monday.
The incident took place about 8:20pm on August 7 near the crossroads of Waiqingsong Highway and Shuichang Road in Qingpu District, where district traffic police had set up a road block to catch drink drivers.
The driver, surnamed Li, spotted the road block and took a sudden right turn into another street about 100 meters from the crossroads, but a traffic police officer was deployed there too.
Seeing Li’s car, the officer requested through a loudspeaker that he stop for a check, but Li sped up and fled, in the process hitting the police car and injuring an officer who was in the process of getting out, police said.
Li was located by police later that evening at his home.
The police officer had slight injuries to his chest, and a door of the police car was damaged.
Li, who works as a driver for a company, allegedly said he was afraid that if police found out he was driving after drinking, his license might be revoked and he would lose his job.
Interestingly, a blood test later showed that Li had no alcohol in his system, police said.
He is now under detention for interference with public administration and could face up to three years in prison if convicted, police said.