A 48-year-old habitual offender is back in custody after leading Prague police on a high-speed pursuit through the capital’s frozen streets early Friday morning. The chase, which saw speeds reaching 150 km/h despite icy conditions, ended only after officers deployed spike strips to shred the suspect’s tires.
The incident began in Malešická Street when a patrol from the Emergency Motorized Unit spotted a familiar vehicle. According to police spokesperson Richard Hrdina, the car was known to authorities as one frequently operated by individuals using narcotics. When officers signaled for the driver to pull over, he instead accelerated, weaving through the city in an attempt to evade capture.
The pursuit grew increasingly dangerous as the driver maintained high speeds over patches of frozen snow and ice. Several additional units joined the effort to box the vehicle in. The chase finally concluded when a tactical team successfully deployed a tire deflation device across the roadway.
In a final, somewhat desperate attempt to avoid arrest, the suspect climbed into the passenger seat before officers reached the car. His effort to claim he wasn’t the driver was undermined by a simple fact: he was the only person in the vehicle.
Police confirmed the man is a repeat offender currently serving a driving ban that was set to last until 2028. Following his detention, he refused to undergo both a roadside drug test and a medical blood draw.
He now faces charges of obstructing the execution of an official decision. If convicted, the driver faces up to two years in prison, adding a potential cell stay to his lengthy history of traffic violations.
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