CCTV footage shows drink driver hit police car in wrong-way M4 crash

Updated

A motorist who had almost four times the legal limit of alcohol in his breath when he drove the wrong way along the M4 has been jailed for 18 months.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows Lee Johnson, 44, on the wrong side of the motorway before his van clips an oncoming police car and spins into a barrier.

Police dash-cam footage also shows Johnson nearly ploughing head-on into the police car as it made deliberate contact with him in order to stop his van on the westbound carriageway at about 11.30pm on December 15 2018.

After his arrest Johnson, of Colman Road, east London, was breathalysed and found to be almost four times the drink-drive limit.

He was jailed for 18 months at Reading Crown Court on Friday after previously admitting dangerous driving, driving while over the prescribed alcohol limit and driving without insurance.

Sergeant Gaz Doughty, from Thames Valley Police, said: "Roads policing officers were deployed and implemented a rolling road block from junction 11, heading towards Johnson's vehicle, a red Citroen Berlingo van.

"Moments later, the vehicle was seen by the officers heading straight for them.

"Despite the obvious risks to themselves and potential for sustaining injuries, the officers made a quick decision to make deliberate contact with Johnson's van to bring it to a halt and thereby prevent it getting past them and colliding head-on into other motorists."

A breath test found Johnson had 120 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Sgt Doughty, senior investigating officer, added: "I hope this case serves as a reminder to the public about the dangers of drink-driving. It is extremely lucky on this occasion that no-one was seriously hurt or killed."

He thanked the members of the public who reported Johnson, whose driving could have caused "a needless tragedy".

"I would also like to praise my team whose quick thinking and courageous actions prevented what would have been a devastating collision with other motorists."

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