Hagen: E-scooter rider tests positive for THC

In Hagen-Wehringhausen, an unusual police operation took place on Friday morning, 10 July, beginning with a traffic accident and ending in an arrest following a positive drug screening test. At around 09:10, officers from Hagen Police were deployed on Schumannstraße to record a traffic accident involving property damage only. While emergency services were documenting the scene and securing traffic, a 40-year-old man from Hagen passed the accident site on his e-scooter.

What initially appeared to be a routine drive-by quickly developed into a significant disruption of police work. The e-scooter rider began arguing loudly with an accident participant he knew. The volume and tone were such that officers could not continue their duties undisturbed. Accident documentation requires concentration and calm to correctly record witness statements and accurately establish the facts. The 40-year-old's behaviour brought this work to a standstill.

Traffic violations on the e-scooter

In addition to the noise disruption, the man also attracted attention through several traffic violations on his electric scooter. He repeatedly rode on the pavement in contravention of regulations, circled around, and eventually parked his e-scooter in the middle of the path. Pavements are generally reserved exclusively for pedestrians; riding e-scooters there is prohibited and poses a significant safety risk to passers-by. Parking the scooter on the pavement also obstructed foot traffic and further hampered the work of emergency services.

A police officer addressed the Hagen resident about his conspicuous behaviour and attempted to speak with him. Instead of de-escalating the situation, the 40-year-old reacted aggressively: he persistently used informal address with the officer and repeatedly shouted that he did not care about the police measure. This attitude reinforced the impression that the man was deliberately disregarding police authority and continuing to use the accident scene as a stage for his behaviour.

Ban from the area and arrest

Due to the ongoing disruptive behaviour, emergency services issued the man with a ban from the area. Such a ban is a police order requiring a person to leave a specific location immediately and not return. It serves to protect public safety and order as well as the undisturbed conduct of police operations. However, the 40-year-old did not comply with the ban and remained at the accident scene.

To enforce the order, officers placed handcuffs on the Hagen resident and brought him into the patrol car. The arrest was therefore not related to the original traffic accident, but rather to the repeated disregard of police instructions and the continued disruption of the operation. In such cases, police resort to coercive measures when voluntary cooperation is absent and officers' work continues to be obstructed.

Suspicion of drug use

During the subsequent check of the 40-year-old in the patrol car, officers made two conspicuous observations: they detected a strong smell of cannabis and noted an altered pupil reaction. Both indicators can point to current or recent consumption of narcotics and are assessed by trained police officers as possible signs of drug impairment.

Based on these observations, emergency services conducted a voluntary preliminary drug test. The result was positive for THC – the main active ingredient in cannabis. A positive screening test does not constitute final proof, but it establishes sufficient suspicion to justify further legal steps. The man was subsequently required to provide a blood sample, which is now being analysed in a laboratory. The results of the blood analysis were still pending at the time of the report and will be decisive for further criminal assessment.

Driving under the influence of narcotics

The 40-year-old must also answer for suspicion of driving under the influence of narcotics. In Germany, a strict ban applies to driving licence-requiring vehicles – which can include e-scooters depending on design and speed – while under the influence of drugs. Even small amounts can lead to significant criminal and traffic law consequences, including fines, penalty points, and revocation of the driving licence.

The man faced a further immediate measure: he was prohibited from operating licence-requiring vehicles until the end of his intoxicated state. This provisional ban is intended to prevent a potentially impaired person from continuing to participate in road traffic and thereby endangering other road users. The duration of the ban depends on the individual state of intoxication and only ends when impairment has demonstrably subsided.

Background and context

The incident on Schumannstraße illustrates how quickly a routine accident recording can develop into a multi-layered police operation. What began with property damage to vehicles led via disruption of emergency work and traffic violations on an e-scooter to an arrest and drug check. Hagen Police is currently evaluating the blood sample; depending on the result, further investigations may follow.

Enquiries about the case can be directed to the press office of Hagen Police. Officers regularly emphasise in such cases that accident scenes are not places for disputes or rule violations, but protected spaces for investigating traffic incidents and assisting those affected.