Van driver who dragged garda along in his vehicle and struck a second garda is jailed

By Sonya McLean and Isabel Hayes

A man who dragged a garda along in his van when the officer got his arm caught in the vehicle’s window as he attempted to stop the driver has been jailed for four years.

Nebojsa Rasic (26) had been driving at high speed and had came to an abrupt stop at traffic lights near Sheriff Street in Dublin when a garda approached him to have a word with him about his driving, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.

The garda knocked on the window and then tried to open the door when Rasic ignored him, before he was dragged a short distance when Rasic drove off again at high speed.

The garda was left with bruising and some pain after this incident, the court heard.

A pursuit ensued with Rasic then encountering a traffic accident which had emergency services at the scene.

While he was stopped, another garda approached his vehicle but was struck by Rasic when he took off again at speed, driving through the scene of the accident.

A number of gardaí, fire brigade officers and members of the public at the scene of the accident had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck, the court heard.

The garda suffered an injury to his shoulder, the court heard.

Rasic continued to drive at speeds of up to 155 km/hr through north county Dublin, the court heard.

At various points, two cyclists had to jump into a ditch to avoid being struck, while a bin worker and some children playing also had to dive out of his way.

During the pursuit, Rasic phoned his employer and told him what was happening, the court heard.

His employer pleaded with him to give up the pursuit before terminating the call for fear he was distracting Rasic.

Rasic also threw packages of cannabis out of the van as he drove, with some hitting the windscreen of gardaí behind him.

Rasic ultimately ended up at a building site, where he got stuck trying to drive over a pile of mud. He got out of the van in attempt to avoid gardaí but was caught and arrested.

He resisted arrest and was sprayed with pepper spray.

Sums of cash were recovered from the van along with about €700 worth of cannabis, while a further €14,320 of cannabis was found in his home when it was searched.

Rasic, of Priest Lane, Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three charges of endangerment on January 5, 2024 in areas around Dublin including Sherrif Street, Dublin 1 and on the M1 motorway.

He further pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply, having the proceeds of crime, three charges of dangerous driving and having no insurance and no driving licence on the same date.

Judge Martin Nolan said were it not for evidence that Rasic has significant issues with his mental health, he would be going to prison for a longer time, before he imposed a sentence of four years. He disqualified Rasic for driving for eight years.

Judge Nolan said he had accepted evidence that “because of his mental health Rasic has difficulty making the right decision – he has difficulty taking the right course but he knows the right course,” the judge continued.

Judge Nolan said he believes that there is a future for Rasic if he takes “the right steps”.

He said he could accept that Rasic panicked but “he had to know what he was doing was dangerous, reckless and wrong.”

Cathal McGreal BL, defending, told the court that although Rasic’s family were present in court to support him, they are “shocked and embarrassed and don’t condone” his behaviour.

He said his client is a “talented mechanic” who is currently working with his father. “He loves to work and he loves cars,” counsel said.

He said Rasic had been taking cannabis to deal with epilepsy because the prescribed medication he had previously taken for the condition had “shut him down” and left him confined to his home.

Counsel acknowledged that Rasic had engaged in “outrageous behaviour” but said he had been in a bad place at the time, having recently made a “viable suicide attempt.”

He said a report before the court said Rasic was “immature, hyperactive and tearful” and it was clear he had not meant to hurt anyone.

He is remorseful and accepts the offence was “very significant endangerment.”

Mr McGreal said his client needs to address his incorrect use of cannabis and asked the court “not to close the door” on Rasic.

“He is a person who is a candidate for some element of a chance,” Mr McGreal said.