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Two drivers arrested after road accidents

This photo shows one of the cars damaged in Friday night's road crash in Sandys.

Police are investigating two weekend motor vehicle accidents that resulted in the drivers being arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.In one case, a van overturned on South Road in Paget when the vehicle collided with a wall around 11.45am on Saturday.The accident occurred near the junction with Happy Talk Lane.A police spokesman said: “It appears that a van was being driven along South Road when the vehicle collided with a wall and overturned.”The driver, a 49-year-old Paget man, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene by first responders before he was arrested.Around 11pm on Friday another car, being driven along Middle Road crashed into four other cars near the temporary traffic lights near Somerset Bridge.The driver, a 26-year-old Southampton man was also arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.No injuries were reported but a police spokesman said all five vehicles were damaged, two were damaged extensively, and court appearances in both cases are expected.When contacted, one of the motorists whose vehicle was damaged on Somerset Bridge said he was not surprised.Somerset resident Eugene Rayner said: “I had a long chat with the senior officer who attended and I know that the driver who crashed into the cars is known to the police.“In fact I have heard that this is not the first car he’s damaged for doing the same thing.“What I’d like to know is what the police plan to do about enforcing the rules of the road. I agree with former police officer Roger Sherratt who has called for the vehicles of impaired drivers to be confiscated,” said Mr Rayner.“I also take issue with the inconsistencies we see in the courts but also feel that if there was proper policing and back up enforcement in the courts it may be a deterrent.“I agree that on the spot testing for alcohol is needed right away, I would like to see it carried out, say, on East Broadway on Saturday nights between 12am and 3am. And they should have a bus there to carry all drunk drivers away,” he said.“It annoys me that we have legislation for this but we don’t enforce the speeding laws. When you drive to work in the morning, how many bikes overtake you, not to mention the cars?“They do it because they know the police are not monitoring our roads,” said Mr Rayner.He was on his way home with his partner after seeing Jimmy Keys at Mid Ocean Club when the pile up occurred.“We stopped at the traffic light near the post office, and when the light turned green I moved off, only to have a car come hurtling towards us having run the red light.“Then bump and the car shook sideways and we continued to hear more bumps and then silence. I looked behind and the car behind me was perpendicular to the road, the next one was the culprit who had struck the temporary traffic lights on my side and also the next car,” he said.“What we did not know was the driver had struck his first car on the other side of the bridge when he ran the red light,” said Mr Rayner.“My car was struck on the rear drivers side and the rear wheel is a bit sideways and the axel is either bent or broken. The next car also has either a broke axel or driveshaft and both driver side doors were ripped.“The last car also has chassis damage, I did not see what the first car got. After the police obtained our details the tow truck began to move us off the road to Hitching Post parking area.“It took 90 minutes before we finally got a ride home with a friend who was in the line. He happens to be the Director of Public Prosecutions, so he may have to prosecute the case when this guy goes to court,” said Mr Rayner.In the interim he said: “I will have to wait until Monday to see what the garage says.”But what concerns him is the fact that the driver of the car that crashed into four vehicles is known to the police because he has allegedly been involved in several accidents.Mr Rayner concluded: “This time he will be charged with drunk driving and reckless driving.” And he was grateful that no one was seriously injured.