A man in his early 50s was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and possession with intent to supply drugs after a collision between a van and a lorry on the M5 motorway near Weston-super-Mare. The crash occurred at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Monday, September 8, causing significant disruption on the southbound carriageway between junctions 20 (Clevedon) and 21 (Weston-super-Mare).
The accident resulted in an eight-mile traffic backlog as emergency services rushed to the scene. According to traffic monitoring service Inrix, the motorway was partially blocked until the incident was cleared just before 10 a.m. The injured driver was taken to Weston General Hospital by ambulance for treatment.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the arrest and have appealed for witnesses to come forward with any information about the collision or the moments leading up to it. Witnesses can contact the police on 101, quoting reference number 5225252850, or submit details via the online appeals form.
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The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust responded promptly with a double-crewed land ambulance, an operations officer, and a hazardous area response team, emphasizing their coordinated effort in dealing with the incident.