'Erratic' and shirtless driver arrested after crashing car into fence before fleeing

An “erratic” driver who crashed into a fence before fleeing the police has been arrested.

On Saturday, May 2, marked units noticed a Ford Ranger driving dangerously while leaving the Portsmouth area, prompting officers to request the vehicle to stop on the M27 near Fareham.

A spokesperson for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit said: “The driver had other ideas and immediately decided to drive away at speed. Luckily other units were also on hand in the area including Fareham response officers and a dog unit.”

The Ford ploughed into a fence near Junction 11 before the driver decamped and fled on foot, but Police Dog Diesel managed to track the fleeing driver's scent.

A discarded t-shirt was found before concerns were raised that the track was heading back towards the motorway.

Another roads policing unit car closed the slip road off and noticed a white van stopping on the live lane, where a shirtless man was spotted jumping into the back of the van.

Officers stopped the van, with the driver arrested for assisting an offender.

The spokesperson added: “In the rear was a very wet and scratched suspected driver of the Ranger looking like he lost a battle with a hedge and stream.”