Driver hits car with baby on board

Saoirse Costello and her baby Seán were passengers in a car travelling on the Limavady Road on Thursday afternoon, when the car was struck by what she described as a “lunatic” in a silver peugeot 106.

The man was fleeing police, driving on the wrong side of the road in the middle of heavy traffic when he collided with the car Saoirse was in. The local mum said he hit the car a second time as he tried to make his getaway from police.

Thankfully, Saoirse and her baby boy, along with another passenger and the driver of the car were unhurt, but Saoirse described it as a terrifying experience.

The PSNI say they signalled a Peugeot 106 to stop in the Bond’s Street area, only for the car to make off in the direction of the Limavady Road.

“I’ve never been in a car accident in my life and then the car I’m in is hit by someone trying to get away from the police, driving up the wrong side of the road.

“I was just shouting ‘my baby, my baby’ when he went into us. He was trying to get around us and he hit the car again.

“It was really scary but everyone is okay. We pulled in and when we were speaking to the police all I could say was ‘there’s a baby in the car, there’s a baby in the car’ to the police woman.

“I was terrified when it happened. I don’t think he cared who was in his way, he just wanted to get away.

“We were really lucky that no one was hurt, especially with a baby in the car.”

A spokesperson for the PSNI said: “A silver coloured Peugeot 106 car was signalled to stop by a police patrol car in the Bond’s Street area of Derry/Londonderry at around 2.30pm on Thursday 21 April.

“The Peugeot car made off in the direction of the Limavady Road, damaging two other cars as it made off. There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are currently ongoing to identify the driver of the car.”