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Two gardaí were hospitalised after two patrol cars were rammed in Co Wexford on Sunday night by an apparent joyrider in a stolen vehicle.
The Garda cars were rammed in two separate incidents just after 5pm, close to the seaside village of Kilmore Quay, by a car believed to have been stolen from the Piercestown area of the county earlier.
In the first incident in Kilmore Quay when an officer approached the stolen car the driver reversed at speed into a patrol car before driving off.
A back-up patrol car was also rammed on the Kilmore to Baldwinstown road when officers radioed for help.
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Two gardaí in the second car were injured.
The driver of the stolen car then collided with another privately owned vehicle before fleeing.
The driver left the scene in the stolen car and then abandoned it, gardaí believe.
The Garda helicopter took part in a search for the driver but failed to locate him.
In a statement gardaí said they were investigating the theft of a car that occurred in the Piercetown area of Co Wexford what was “subsequently reported to have been involved in multiple road traffic collisions”.
It said the vehicle failed to remain at the scene and the driver was being sought by gardaí.
The stolen car has been recovered.
The injured gardaí were brought to Wexford General Hospital by ambulance following the incident for treatment to minor injuries.
They have since been discharged.