A 23-year-old man was remanded for two days by the Larnaca District Court on Sunday in connection with a series of traffic-related offences, including driving under the influence of alcohol, refusing a breath test, reckless and dangerous driving, and causing malicious damage.

According to Larnaca Police, the incident occurred at around 2:10am on Saturday during a routine traffic stop conducted by the local traffic unit in the city.

Officers stopped a vehicle driven by a 23-year-old foreign national residing permanently in Cyprus. The man reportedly smelled strongly of alcohol but refused to provide a preliminary breath sample when requested.

Police said that as one of the officers was holding the breath-testing device up to the driver’s window, the suspect suddenly accelerated in an attempt to flee, striking the officer’s hand and causing the device to fall into the vehicle.

The officer was not injured in the incident.

Following coordinated efforts, police located the suspect’s vehicle around 11am on the same day in the Oroklini area. The 23-year-old was also found shortly after and, according to authorities, admitted to the offences.

The missing breath-testing device was later recovered from the pool at the suspect’s residence.

He was arrested on multiple charges, including causing malicious damage to police property. The Larnaca District Court ordered his two-day remand to facilitate further investigation.