Police tonight appealed for witnesses after cars were seen deliberately ramming each other on a busy road – before a mass brawl involving around 20 men erupted nearby.
Just minutes after that incident in Thornton, near Glenrothes, Fife, another smash occurred followed by a number of men fleeing from one of the cars involved in possession of weapons.
Locals said at least eight police units – including dog handlers and the force helicopter – and an ambulance rushed to the scene near the A92 Redhouse Roundabout on Friday night.
Police said a burnt out Audi was found shortly afterwards and that it is believed those involved were known to each other.
The first smash – described by police as a “road rage incident” – occurred at the Redhouse Roundabout around 8pm on Friday.
A silver Audi A4 and silver Honda Civic were seen deliberately ramming each other.
Minutes later a 20-man brawl erupted in nearby Balbeggie Avenue – followed almost immediately by a further crash between a silver BMW and a silver Hyundai car in Main Street, Thornton.
A number of men, believed to be in possession of weapons, were seen fleeing the BMW car on foot across fields in the direction of the A92.
Police Scotland said inquiries into the full circumstances are ongoing and officers are appealing for witnesses to help with ongoing investigations.
They particularly want to gather dashcam footage from the A92 or roads in Thornton that may show the cars involved in the lead up to the mass disturbance.
Detective Chief Inspector John Anderson, from Glenrothes police station, said: “This was a large scale disturbance involving a number of individuals who we believe to be known to each other.
“A number of specialist Police Scotland resources were deployed to the Thornton area on Friday night and we are asking for the public’s help to identify and trace those involved.
“Officers recovered the silver Audi A4 vehicle burnt out a short time later, along with the damaged Honda and BMW vehicles. We are now keen to establish their movements before these incidents were reported.
“We suspect that a number of additional vehicles will have been in the area containing others involved in these incidents at the time that these took place, and we are eager to trace them as soon as possible.
“I would particularly appeal to any drivers using the A92, Balbeggie Avenue or Main Street areas of Thornton on Friday evening and who may have dash cam footage of vehicles driving erratically to come forward to assist with our investigations.
“Similarly anyone who witnessed the collision on Main St in Thornton, or has any information that can help with our inquiries, is asked to contact officers.”