Police sorry for shutting M1 as driver is pursued
POLICE have apologised to motorists after closing the M1 to deal with an incident in which a driver failed to stop for them and tried to get away by driving the wrong way up the motorway.
Two officers were injured and four vehicles damaged at the conclusion of the pursuit near Derbyshire.
Officers from Leicestershire Police’s Roads Policing Unit took to Twitter to explain what happened. A statement said: “We had to close the M1 whilst we dealt with an incident, for which we are sorry.
“A driver failed to stop for us and made the decision to try to get away by driving the wrong way up the M1 at Junction 21.
“We simply could not allow this to happen, putting members of the public at risk of serious injury or even death. RPU officers made a split second decision to stop the vehicle from travelling any further.
“We were successful in stopping the car, which was seconds away from causing a serious road traffic collision.
“Four RPU vehicles were
damaged and two RPU officers injured in dealing with the driver, however, one in custody and members of the public kept safe.”
A driver was later charged with a number of offences relating to the incident. Christopher Stephens, 33, was arrested after a collision on the slip road at junction 21 of the M1, Leicestershire Police confirmed.
Stephens, of no fixed address, was charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously, failing to stop for a police officer, theft from a motor vehicle, two counts of driving without insurance and two counts of driving while disqualified.
He was also charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified following an incident in Swadlincote in February.
He was due to appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.