A 63-year-old man who mounted the pavement and uprooted a bollard on the pavement has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving and other offences in Ryde Town Centre this afternoon (Tuesday).
It was at around 16:00 that officers were called to the scene at the crossing outside The Crown Hotel in St Thomas’ Square.
Here, eyewitnesses told Island Echo that a man in control of a green and black Toyota Aygo came round the bend from Cross Street, mounted the pavement and mowed down a bollard.
Bystanders who helped the man by pushing the damaged vehicle into a nearby loading bay say they noticed that the man appeared to be intoxicated and so called the police.
It was said that whilst they pushed the car, multiple attempts were made to restart it, with witnesses concerned that he may drive off.
When the Ryde local realised his car would no longer start, he entered The Crown Hotel.
4 units from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary responded to the scene, from where officers entered the pub, removing and arresting the driver on suspicion of drink driving, criminal damage, and using threatening/abusive words/behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
A team from Island Roads were also dispatched to the scene where the bollard, which was put in place to protect members of the public waiting to cross as well as alleviate the risk of motorists mounting or parking on the pavement, had been uprooted.
The team quickly got to work clearing the debris and filling the void to allow for a new bollard to be placed in due course.
