A stinger device was used to assist in the arrest of a driver in Tonbridge who is accused of deliberately attempting to ram a police car.
On Sunday, February 12, 2023, the stinger successfully deflated the tyres of a black Audi, ending a lengthy pursuit that began in East Peckham. According to police, the Audi was first seen driving at excessive speeds around 10.50 p.m. It was followed out of the East Peckham neighbourhood by an unmarked patrol car that flashed its blue lights and activated a police siren.
The Audi failed to stop and was allegedly driven at speeds exceeding 90 mph in residential areas and on the wrong side of the road. It is also claimed that the vehicle was used in an attempt to reverse into the police car. A police helicopter assisted in the pursuit, and the stinger device was used near Hadlow Road. At 11.35 p.m., the vehicle came to a halt in Quincewood Gardens, Tonbridge, where the driver is accused of fleeing on foot and assaulting a police officer before being apprehended in a nearby field.
Akeem Thorla-Bangura, 19, of Headcorn Road, Staplehurst, was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, assaulting an emergency worker, failing to stop for police when asked, and driving without insurance or a licence. In connection with an alleged incident in a police cell, the teen was also charged with cocaine possession and criminal damage. He was remanded in custody to appear in Medway Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 14th.
