Irish teenager among 12 injured in Albufeira drink-drive horror

An Irish woman was among those injured when a “drunk” driver mowed down several pedestrians in the Algarve holiday resort of Albufeira yesterday morning, it emerged today.

Police described the casualties in the aftermath of the early-hours drama as ten Portuguese nationals including two cops, a Spanish tourist and a Polish holidaymaker.

But overnight an 18-year-old woman describing herself as Irish although she was born in Poland revealed she had been hit and dragged several metres on top of the runaway car’s bonnet before being flung to the ground.

The 35-year-old Portuguese driver of the vehicle was arrested after police fired warning shots to intercept him as he tried to flee on foot after crashing his car in the packed Oura party strip in Albufeira.

Maja Lewecka, 18, who is understood to live in the small village of Courttown in Wexford, told Portuguese press: “I didn’t even realise the car was coming.

“When I saw it it was already on top of us. It was all so quick.”

Maja, who was holidaying in Albufeira with friends, was left sprawled and injured on the road after being hit and ending up on the suspect’s car’s bonnet while he tried to speed away from the area.

She was taken to nearby Portimao Hospital to be treated for cuts and bruises to her arms and legs.

Maja told Portuguese media as she returned to the scene later in the day after being released from hospital: “In the ambulance there was a Portuguese girl whose head and face was covered in blood.”

Saying she felt lucky not to have suffered serious injuries and confirming it was her first visit to the Algarve, she admitted as she prepared to leave Portugal: “This will leave me with a bad memory but it could all have been a lot worse.”

A spokesman for the GNR police force, whose officers arrested the driver, said yesterday: “The National Republican Guard (GNR) informs that, through the Faro Territorial Command, it detained today, August 25, in the Oura area of Albufeira, a 35-year-old man for the crimes of aggravated assault, driving under the influence of alcohol and dangerous driving.

“The incident occurred at around 3am, on a street called Rua Francisco Sa Carneiro, when a vehicle that was parked on the public road began to move. In response to the stop order given by the Guard officers, the driver disobeyed and turned around.

“Moments later, when again ordered to stop by officers, the suspect once again ignored the order and drove towards pedestrians and the police deployment, running over several people.

“Following the escape manoeuvre, the vehicle collided with another vehicle, and the suspect attempted to flee on foot, at which point he was intercepted and detained by officers from the Public Order Intervention Group.

“The incident unfortunately resulted in 12 injuries, one serious and 11 minor, including two GNR officers.

“All the victims received immediate medical assistance. When subjected to a breath alcohol screening test, the suspect recorded a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 1.29 g/l, and was also subjected to toxicological tests.

“The facts were reported to the competent Judicial Court for the application of the respective coercive measures.

“The Guard continues to investigate, in greater detail, all the circumstances of this incident.”

Some subsequent local reports said the number of injured had later been put at 16, although this has not been confirmed by police.

Cops said in a follow-up statement: “Ten of the injured are Portuguese and the two others are Polish and Spanish.

“The person who was seriously injured is a 21-year-old Portuguese woman.”

A police chief also confirmed the driver arrested is a Portuguese national, saying yesterday around lunchtime: “He is due in court today but the hearing to decide whether he is remanded in custody or released on bail could be delayed until tomorrow.”

Portugal’s Minister of Internal Administration Luis Neves condemned the incident, saying he wished everyone hurt “a speedy and full recovery.”

He added in a statement: “I express my deep solidarity with the GNR officers and with all the young people affected and their respective families.

“I am closely monitoring the evolution of their health situation and wish everyone a speedy and full recovery.”

Albufeira’s mayor Rui Cristina described the incident as an “isolated act”.

He said: “We, as a municipality, are doing everything we can to ensure that Albufeira has a safe nightlife, we have taken measures in this regard, and those who visit us know and feel that Albufeira is different.

“We know, we have already realised that this was an isolated act.”

He added the driver sped past security barriers that had been put up in the area and drove onto pavements.

Horror footage showed the unnamed man driving at victims with his headlights on and bystanders running for safety as he sped past.