Suspected drink and drug-driver arrested by Nottinghamshire Police in Southwell after colliding with multiple vehicles in van believed stolen

A suspected drink and drug driver has been arrested after colliding with multiple vehicles in a van believed stolen.

The van collided with multiple parked vehicles in Southwell in the early hours of Monday, April 1, before being abandoned by it’s driver.

Police responding to the collision discovered the van in the middle of Halam Road with the keys still in the ignition, still embedded in a car it had collided with.

Significant damage was caused to the car, as well as another parked van, with glass strewn all over the road.

After arriving at the scene of the collision, which was reported around 2.45am, response and operational support officers also discovered damage to two other cars in Halam and Farnsfield.

Searches of the nearby area resulted in a police dog handler discovering a man in Lower Kirklington Road, who they suspected was the driver of the abandoned van — which was registered to someone else.

Officers believed the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he subsequently failed a roadside breathalyser test.

The 27-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, drug-driving, theft of a vehicle, and failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision.

Inspector Gina Boothby, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This incident should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel while under the influence about just how dangerous this is.

“A van was found abandoned in the middle of the road by our officers, having quite clearly collided with two vehicles there, while we suspect it’d also caused damage to two other cars in nearby as well.

“Thankfully, each of these stationary vehicles were empty when this happened, so nobody sustained any injuries.

“Our officers did a great job in responding to this incident so quickly and locating a suspect nearby, who has subsequently been arrested for a range of offences.”