A drunken motorist whose failure to stop resulted in Monaco police officers firing shots at the tyres of his car late on Saturday night has been released on bail in Nice.

The 46 year-old French national had been involved in a dispute with a staff member in front of a Monaco hotel before the police intervened shortly after 23:00. Two shots were fired at the wheels of his Mercedes, but despite having a flat tyre, the driver succeeded in making his way to Nice via the Moyenne Corniche. One Monaco policeman was reported injured.

Alerted by their Monaco colleagues, police officers based in Menton and Cap d’Ail gave chase and arrested the fugitive in front of Riquier train station. He has been charged with a hit and run offence and refusal to obey the orders of a police officer.