How police dog Ziva helped officers arrest a suspected drink driver in South Shields
A suspected drink driver who fled from his car was caught hiding in a bush by a police dog.
Shortly before 1am on Tuesday, June 30, Northumbria Police officers noticed a car being driven erratically in the Whitehead Street area of South Shields.
When officers tried to stop the driver, he hit the accelerator and drove off. He then abandoned the car and ran off towards the Tyne Dock area.
Officers searched the area before force dog PD Ziva eventually found the man hiding in a shrubbery. He had been out celebrating his 36th birthday.
Chief Inspector Sam Rennison, of Northumbria Police’s motor patrols department, has praised the her officers – and Ziva – for their hard work.
She said: “Our cops are very experienced and they can tell when a driver is behaving in a suspicious manner. If you think you can get behind the wheel while under in the influence of drink and drugs then you’re fooling no one.
“This particular case was an excellent example of officers using their initiative to take a suspected drink driver off the roads.
“They demonstrated excellent driving skills in their pursuit before PD Ziva used her art of detection to track a suspect down to some shrubbery.
“The man has since been charged and will have his day in court, but I hope this response reassures road users across the region.”
The driver has since been charged with driving while above the legal alcohol limit. He is due to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 29.