Fugitive drunk driver caught in Ventspils after police manhunt
Latvian police on Thursday evening detained a man born in 1999 who had earlier escaped from officers in Ventspils and was wanted after a court ordered his arrest in absentia. He now faces a criminal case for fleeing.
Latvia's State Police (VP) detained a man on Thursday evening who had fled from officers in Ventspils the previous day. VP Public Relations Division senior specialist Madara Šeršņova confirmed to the outlet that the man, Saimons Paučs, born in 1999, was successfully apprehended and the search for him has been called off.
What happened
The man was initially detained on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and without a valid driving license. However, during the detention he managed to escape from the police officers, triggering a large-scale manhunt across Ventspils.
In response, police launched intensified search measures in the city, including activating the special plan "Slazdi" (Traps). As a result, residents of Ventspils saw increased police checks over several days.
Earlier on Thursday, before the man was caught, a judge ruled in his absence to apply pre-trial detention as a security measure.
Ongoing investigation
The State Police have now opened a criminal case against the man for fleeing from law enforcement officers. At the same time, an internal service inquiry has been launched within the police to determine how the man managed to escape in the first place.
Police thanked the media for helping distribute information about the wanted man and asked outlets to now remove his published photographs, since the search has concluded.
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