KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — A simple case of an expired road tax turned dramatic when a man sped off and crashed into both a police vehicle and a civilian car in Sungai Petani, Kedah, late last night.

The 22-year-old driver refused to stop when ordered, triggering a 10km chase from Tikam Batu before police finally cornered him in Sungai Layar.

Kuala Muda district police chief Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan said two Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) officers were on duty along Jalan Kuala Ketil at 9.30pm when the pursuit began.

At 10.10pm, the Kuala Muda police control room received a call for backup after the suspect, driving a Proton Saga, ignored instructions to pull over.

“Upon reaching the Taman Seri Tanjung housing area, the suspect rammed into a resident’s Proton Saga that was parked in the garage.

“He then fled again despite repeated orders to stop.

“At Jalan Sungai Layar, the suspect came across another patrol car responding to assist, and in his attempt to escape yet again, he is believed to have lost control and crashed into the side of the police MPV,” he said in a statement.

Police later found that while the suspect did have a driving licence, the vehicle’s road tax had expired.

Initial urine screening showed the man tested negative for drugs.