A dramatic chase unfolded yesterday at dawn in Athens, when the 20-year-old son of a well-known businessman engaged in dangerous racing with a black Ford, ignoring police signals. The incident occurred shortly after 04:30 on Attiki Odos highway and continued until Peristeri, with patrol cars following him to stop the dangerous driving.
In one of the videos secured by Live News, the police officer can be seen being dragged by the young man’s vehicle, immediately transferring him to hospital. The 20-year-old initially managed to escape towards the southern suburbs and was arrested later. Two 17-year-old female friends were passengers in his car.
What the 20-year-old’s father declared
The father of the 20-year-old, speaking to MEGA, emphasized that the charges are excessive and that if mistakes were made, he apologizes for the police officer’s injury. He stated that the car is corporate and referred to plastic paintball pellets found at the house, explaining they are harmless.
Specifically, the businessman spoke to Live News about the charges his son faces and the actions attributed to him. He describes them as exaggerations.
“The car belongs to the company, we have nothing to hide but things didn’t happen as they’re being written. If he really did these things, we apologize to that person. If what was found at the house are plastic pellets, they’re from paintball,” the 20-year-old’s father said.
The two young men, the 20-year-old driver and his young friend in the black vehicle, are accused of racing from Attiki Odos highway to the Hilton area and Peristeri. They ignored police signals for an hour as officers began chasing them and tried to escape. The businessman’s son allegedly at some point stepped on the gas and dragged a police officer who had gotten out of the patrol car onto the road.
“I haven’t seen my son yet and don’t know what happened. I know the police officer is fine,” said the 20-year-old’s father.
What the 20-year-old testified
In his testimony, the 20-year-old stated that he didn’t realize they were police officers, because he thought robbers were approaching him, while he admitted he had consumed alcohol and doesn’t clearly remember the events. He also allegedly said he had run out of gas when he hid in the southern suburbs, where his parents met him to collect the vehicle.
Live News reveals that the 20-year-old said in his testimony that he didn’t recognize the police officers, because -as he said- they drew weapons, and regarding his parents he mentioned they went together to get the vehicle he was driving from Alimos and then they would go to a police station.
“I had consumed alcohol and don’t remember well what happened. I didn’t realize they were police officers. They drew weapons and I thought they were people trying to rob me.
“After the incident, I called my mother and described the event to her. I went to Alimos where I left my car and there my parents met me. My parents collected the car and we started to go to some station until you stopped me.”
“Nothing like this has ever happened before. The child has studied, finished school and is very hardworking. He’s worked with me since he was little, never caused trouble for anything,” said the 20-year-old’s father.
The DIAS team police officers who located the 20-year-old’s vehicle the next morning on Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue got the impression -as reported by police correspondent Dimitris Popotas- that they wanted to hide the car and make its license plates invisible.
During searches of the two young men’s homes, an air gun, seven gas canisters and metal pellets were found and confiscated. The arrested individuals now face justice, while police analyze videos from the chase to reach conclusions.
