Apolda/Eckartsberga, 05.07.2026 – Early Sunday morning, a multi-kilometer police chase on the B87 ended in a serious collision with a tree. The fleeing driver was under the influence of drugs, unlicensed, and driving with stolen license plates.
- Location: B87, Eckartsberga towards Apolda / junction Reisdorf
- Time: Sunday, 05.07.2026, approx. 03:00 AM
- Involved: A Volvo with two occupants (driver seriously injured, passenger slightly injured)
- Offenses: Suspicion of diesel theft, driving without a license and under the influence of drugs, forgery of documents, violation of the Compulsory Insurance Act
- Police contact: PI Apolda, Phone: 03644 541225
The high-speed flight began around 03:00 AM in Eckartsberga (Saxony-Anhalt). Three patrol cars from the Weißenfels/Naumburg police station initiated a pursuit of a suspicious Volvo traveling toward Apolda. Despite the use of blue lights and clear signals to stop, the driver ignored all police commands and continued at high speed toward Weimar.
Dangerous U-turn in a construction zone
Due to the reckless driving, the Saxony-Anhalt police requested support from Thuringia. Patrol cars from the Apolda Police Inspectorate rushed to the B87 to intercept the suspect. In the area of a construction site near Oberroßla, the escape route appeared blocked, leading the driver to turn into a local industrial park.
Instead of surrendering, he recklessly turned the vehicle around, bypassed the Thuringian police roadblocks, and sped back onto the B87 toward Eckartsberga.
Collision with a tree after the chase
The highly dangerous flight ended abruptly just past the Reisdorf junction. The driver lost control of the Volvo at high speed and crashed head-on into a tree. The force of the impact caused severe damage to the vehicle.
As the driver was not wearing a seatbelt, he sustained serious injuries. His passenger, who was wearing a seatbelt, escaped with minor injuries. Emergency services transported both men to nearby hospitals.
Drugs, stolen goods, and stolen license plates
During the search of the wreckage, police discovered the suspected motive for the flight: the rear of the vehicle contained several fuel canisters and suction pumps, strongly indicating a prior theft spree.
Furthermore, it was determined that the seriously injured driver was under the influence of narcotics—an offense that frequently leads to serious accidents in the region, as recently demonstrated by an incident in Lobeda. Additionally, the man did not possess a valid driver’s license. The Volvo used was uninsured, and the license plates attached to the car had been reported stolen. Extensive criminal proceedings have been initiated.
Source:
LPI-J: Diesel thieves pursued across state borders | Presseportal
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI assistance.