Four people were in custody last night following a high-speed chase which took place during rush hour along one of the north-east’s busiest roads.
Three police cars and five other vehicles were damaged after traffic chaos erupted on the A90 at around 8am yesterday.
Officers set off in pursuit of a Mercedes after it was reported stolen from the Union Grove area of Aberdeen.
At the time of the incident witnesses claimed the red A180 was travelling in the wrong direction of the north-bound carriageway.
The car was later recovered in Blackdog and four people were detained in connection with the incident.
Last night Detective Inspector Stuart McAdam insisted that pursuits were only carried out when it is deemed safe for them to do so.
The stolen car was spotted turning off before the Murcar roundabout into the Hill of Tramaud landfill site before it crashed into a field.
Two police cars also ended up in the field and both had to be pulled out by the site manager’s tractor.
Dave Walls, Hill of Tramaud supervisor, had been at the scene since 7am when he had unlocked the site’s gate.
He said: “They were all completely stuck in the field – I had to pull out the stolen car and the two police cars. They obviously didn’t know the area if they came up here – it’s a dead end.”
Residents at Blackdog saw a large police presence on the road at approximately 8.30am.
Police confirmed inquiries are ongoing following the incident and that four people were being held in custody.
They also confirmed that no one was injured as a result.
DI McAdam said: “Pursuits will only be conducted when safe to do so. The safety of the public throughout remains at the forefront of our priorities and I would like to thank motorists for their co-operation while this incident was dealt with.”
Two hours after the chase emergency services were called out to deal with another incident on the A90.
The two car crash took place between the AECC and the Murcur roundabout on the northbound carriageway.
A grey Mini Cooper was one of the vehicles involved in the 10.30am incident and one man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said two crews from its central station had attended.
She said: “When we arrived, no one was trapped so we just made the vehicles safe. One car was off the road down an embankment.”
The crash caused delays for motorists in the area until lunchtime as a concrete block had been left in the middle of north-bound carriageway leaving just one lane open.
