Seven injured during 17-mile police chase

A MAN has been arrested following a 17-mile police pursuit across Bristol and North East Somerset that left seven injured.

It began when a member of the public reported a woman had been dragged into a Ford car against her will in Anchor Road, close to the city centre, just before midnight on Saturday.

That sparked a police pursuit of the driver of the Ford that saw seven people, including the driver, injured in three incidents. It also left the M32 closed until Sunday morning.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said the vehicle was involved in the first incident after just a few hundred yards. Police said: “The Ford was involved in a collision with two pedestrians on St Augustine’s Parade who required medical attention for minor injuries.”

The pursuit continued through the city centre and onto the M32, and at a spot between junction 2 for Eastville and junction 1 for the ring road and Filton, another collision happened between the police car conducting the pursuit and a third-party vehicle.

Police said three people from the third car were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries bringing the total number of those injured to five at that point.

The pursuit continued around the A4174 ring road. Police said: “It was stopped by officers on Wellsway, Keynsham at around 12.20 am. One of the occupants of the Ford, a man his mid-20s, left the scene and was located by officers nearby. He was arrested for multiple offences including dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.”

Officers said the man was taken to hospital but his condition was not thought to be life-threatening.

A female passenger was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The police spokesperson added: “This incident has been referred to the Independent

Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to police involvement prior to the collisions occurring.”