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Sept. 1 (UPI) — Australian police on Monday arrested a man accused of driving an SUV into the gates of Sydney’s Russian consulate, according to authorities and Russian officials.

Russia’s Consulate General, located on Fullerton Street in Sydney, confirmed the crash in a statement on Telegram, stating the incident occurred at about 8:05 a.m. AEST.

It said the driver had parked the SUV so as to block access to the premises and refused police orders to exit the vehicle. He then “deliberately rammed the gates” of the mission, it said.

No consulate general employees reported injuries and operations continued as normal, the consulate added.

“Thanks to the coordinated actions of the competent Australian authorities, the intruder was promptly neutralized,” the consulate general said.

“He has been arrested and is providing testimony regarding the motives for his actions.”

New South Wales Police identified the driver in a statement as a 39-year-old man.

He has been charged with a slew of offenses, including three counts of damaging property, three counts of resisting arrest and possession of a knife in a public space.

No motive was mentioned.

Police said the suspect had parked the SUV in the consulate’s driveway, then jumped the mission’s fence and entered the consulate grounds before re-entering his vehicle.

After police attempted to speak to the man, he allegedly “accelerated the vehicle — ramming the front gate of the property — causing significant damage.”

The suspect was then removed from the vehicle, arrested and transported to the Surry Hills Police Station, it said.

Two constables — ages 22 and 25 — suffered minor injuries in the incident, NSW Police said, without specifying exactly how they were injured.

The suspect is to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

Paul Doyle allegedly drove his car into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title win in May.

A British man accused of driving his vehicle into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title win faces an additional 24 criminal charges, prosecutors have revealed at his latest court hearing.

Former British marine Paul Doyle, 53, appeared tearful as he joined the hearing on Thursday at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink from prison, when details of the new counts stemming from the May 26 incident emerged.

Merseyside Police now say 134 people were injured when Doyle allegedly drove his Ford Galaxy Titanium into crowds who were leaving Liverpool’s waterfront after a victory parade.

The 31 charges in total now filed involve 29 victims, aged between six months and 77, the court heard.

Six relate to children, including two babies – one aged six months at the time and one aged seven months – who were injured when the car hit people massed on Water Street in the city centre.

Supporters of the city’s world-famous football team had thronged its streets to celebrate the club’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title when scenes of joy turned to horror.

Doyle, a father-of-three from the Croxteth neighbourhood in the city, was initially charged with seven offences, including dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He now faces multiple additional counts under that and other charges, including 19 for attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, three of wounding with intent, and one of affray.

Doyle, wearing a grey T-shirt, did not enter any pleas during the 20-minute hearing, which several relatives of the victims and more than 20 members of the media attended.

Judge Andrew Menary adjourned the case until September 4, when Doyle is expected to enter pleas.

Earlier this year, a provisional trial date was fixed for November 24, with the case expected to last three to four weeks.

Aug. 5 (UPI) — Authorities in Los Angeles have arrested a man accused of shooting the driver charged with ramming his vehicle into a crowd outside a Hollywood nightclub last month, injuring dozens of people.

Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested at about 1:15 p.m. PDT Sunday by officers of the Redondo Beach Police Department. The Los Angeles Police Department announced the arrest Monday in a statement, saying they had taken him into custody, and Villalobos has been booked for attempted murder and is being held without bail.

He is accused of shooting Fernando Ramirez, 29, early July 19.

Ramirez is facing dozens of charges, including 37 counts of attempted murder, one count for each person injured that morning when he allegedly drove his vehicle into a crowd of people waiting at a taco truck, for valet service and to get into the East Hollywood nightclub from which he had been ejected for intoxication not long before.

Ramirez was shot in the back as bystanders pulled him from the car, sparking a manhunt for the suspect.

The LAPD released images of the alleged shooter in the days following the mass-casualty incident, calling on members of the public to help identify him.

Police named Villalobos as the suspect in a Friday statement.

No information about how police were led to Villalobos was made public.

The Los Angeles Police Department said the case will be presented to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office for consideration.