A 36 year old biker is under arrest for assaulting a police officer and an ambulance driver who went to help a 35 year old woman passenger who had fallen off his motorbike on the Nicosia-Limassol motorway, police said.
They said the incident occurred at around 4.25 pm on Thursday, near Koshi.
According to a police announcement, under conditions which are being investigated, the woman fell off the bike and was dragged on the road. The biker stopped and returned to help.
A police patrol car carrying out traffic checks nearby also went to help.
As soon as the biker saw the patrol car, he reportedly started shouting insults and hitting the bonnet of the car. He also reportedly punched a police officer on the head.
A few minutes later, when an ambulance arrived, the biker reportedly hit the ambulance driver with his helmet, and then also reportedly punched him on the head.
The ambulance took the woman to hospital while the biker was arrested.
The president of Reaction Marios Stavrou expressed concern at the incident, saying this was not the first time that ambulance crew members have been assaulted. A few months ago, a first responder was injured when he was pushed down a cliff by a drunk man he had been called to help.
In other countries, such offences carry heavy punishment, he added.
Rania Constantinou, head of the ambulance service, said there was no justification for a on duty member of an ambulance crew being assaulted, adding that the ambulance driver assaulted yesterday had suffered head injuries.
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