Six people are in custody after a police car was repeatedly rammed in Airport West in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The dramatic ordeal began when police tried to intercept two vehicles speeding along Matthews Avenue about 1.30am.
One vehicle stopped but the other vehicle, a white ute, sped away from the scene. It quickly returned and repeatedly rammed into the police van, causing significant damage to the van’s bonnet.
As the two police officers fled from the van, the ute switched focus and started driving towards the pair, said Senior Constable Adam West.
“The members managed to evade the ute which then left the scene with the first car following,” Constable West said.
A short time later police found the ute dumped and burnt out in Kingsley Drive.
The dog squad was called in, and traced the offenders to a home in Hillside Grove. A police helicopter was also involved in the search.
Three men and two women were arrested at the home. Police negotiated with a fourth man, but he was eventually arrested.
The six people remain in police custody, said Constable West.
The two police officers involved avoided serious injury.
The incident has caused significant traffic issues, and Matthews Avenues remains closed.
Forensic investigators have since attended the scene of the burnt-out ute this morning.
This story first appeared in The Age
