Policeman accused of shooting at civilians in traffic row

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

An off-duty police officer has been accused of pursuing a civilian car and shooting at its occupants after arguing with them in traffic in Istanbul, daily Hürriyet reported today.
 
The officer, Nurullah Y., was reportedly returning from a night of entertainment when he dangerously passed Yunus D.'s car on Istanbul's TEM highway. Yunus D. blasted his car horn at Nurullah Y., who then slowed down and swore at Yunus D. before allegedly shooting at him with his official pistol. 

Yunus D. sped up and tried to escape the enraged policeman, which resulted in a chase that lasted for 10 kilometers. Nurullah Y. kept shooting at the civilian car for the duration of the chase and tried to force the car off the road. The policeman allegedly shot at the civilian vehicle a total of 12 times.
 
Yunus D. managed to evade his pursuer by hiding beside a truck and exiting the highway. 
 
Once clear of their attacker, Yunus D. and his two other passengers pulled up in a woodland and hid before calling the police, only emerging after a squad car arrived at their location. The police found five bullet holes in Yunus D.'s car.
 
The police found Nurullah Y.'s friend Fatih E., who owned the car the policeman used in the alleged attack. Fatih E. brought Nurullah Y. to a police station but the officer escaped from custody before surrendering a day later. 
 
Nurullah Y., whose pistol was confiscated, has been sent to prison amid prosecutors’ demands that he be sentenced to three separate life sentences for attempted murder.

The officer, who was on leave from his posting in the northeastern province of Kars, has denied the charges leveled against him.