A suspected drink-driver was arrested after a van crashed into a car and flipped over into a pub sign.
The van was completely written off in the collision near The Radcliffe pub in Shelford Road, Radcliffe on Trent.
Police arrived to find another car with significant damage, a driver with minor injuries and debris strewn across the road.
They didn’t find the driver of the van, however, due to them leaving the scene of the crash, which happened around 1.20pm on Monday (26 May).
The motorist had reportedly been driving in a dangerous manner – speeding and overtaking other cars on bends – in the seconds leading up to the collision.
While attempting one such manoeuvre, the driver reportedly hit the side of a car they were trying to get past before losing control near the entrance to The Radcliffe.
The car crashed into some nearby bushes, while the van rolled over onto its side – destroying the front of the vehicle and signage for the pub before coming to a stop.
After conducting local inquiries, police were able to track down someone matching the description of the man who’d been behind the wheel of the van.
The individual – who police suspected was under the influence of alcohol – was taken to hospital for treatment on a minor injury before then being brought into custody.
Police subsequently arrested the 22-year-old man on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop after a road accident, and driving while unfit through drink.
Sergeant Nathan Lewis, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was an incredibly dangerous situation that thankfully didn’t result in anyone sustaining any injuries.
“That this didn’t happen was down to sheer luck, when you consider the damage caused to both vehicles and the crash’s location near the entrance to a pub.
“The standard of driving demonstrated in this incident was completely unacceptable, as was the motorist’s decision to flee from the scene of an accident.
“We also suspect the person who’d been operating the van was intoxicated at the time this happened.
“It really should go without saying but there is no reason for anyone to ever get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“This should serve as an example of exactly why that is the case.”