THERE was high-speed drama in Ennis on Wednesday evening when gardaĆ pursued a stolen jeep through the town.
Earlier, the man had commandeering the jeep at knifepoint from a Kilmihil family and was pursued by gardaĆ after he failed to stop on the outskirts of Ennis.
In the ensuing chase, gardaĆ succeeded in arresting the driver in the Lower Market Street area of Ennis after he collided with bollards in a closed-in area.
A senior garda told The Clare Champion that the individual in question made his way into a house in Kilmihil earlier in the day and ātook possession of a knife when he was in the houseā.
āHe forced the occupants of the house to hand over the keys of the jeep. GardaĆ saw the jeep coming in on the Kilrush Road and signalled for the jeep to stop. He refused to stop and was pursued into the market area of Ennis. He was forced into the bollards near Paddy Quinnās and was hemmed in at OāConnell Street,ā the garda stated.
The sole occupant of the vehicle, a man, was forcibly removed by gardaĆ, arrested and detained at Ennis Garda Station.
Commenting on the matter, Chief Superintendent John Kerin said this was āa very serious incident and people could have been killed. I canāt commend the gardaĆ who apprehended this individual enough.ā
It is understood that the man will be formally charged before Shannon District Court this Thursday.
Ā