A garda was injured while staffing a checkpoint as part of the foot-and-mouth precautions at Dromard in Co Louth early this morning.
He was dragged to the ground and knocked unconscious by a Mitsubishi van which has been stopped for inspection along the main Dundalk-to-Newry road at 1.40 a.m.
A Garda spokeswoman said the garda was leaning into the driver’s window speaking to the driver when the van drove off, trapping his arm.
He was thrown to the ground before the van did a u-turn and sped off in the Newry direction.
The garda, a young Dublin man who had been temporarily transferred to the area to assist with the checkpoints, was rushed to Louth General Hospital in Dundalk.
His condition is unknown, the garda spokeswoman said.
The RUC in Newry located what is believed to be the same Mitsubishi van in the town at 2.30 a.m. It has been preserved for technical examination.
No arrests were made.
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