Shock moment Army truck rams through police roadblock near Royal Marines base as driver arrested for ‘attempted murder’
THIS is the shocking moment an Army truck ploughs through a police roadblock near a Royal Marines base.
The driver has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and is currently in police custody.
Cops attended an address in North Fitzwarren, near Taunton, Somerset at 4.40pm on Sunday, following reports of a man making threats to a person living there.
When officers arrived, a 41-year-old man left the address in the privately-owned truck which was driven into two police cars.
Avon and Somerset Police said no one was injured.
Police said a total of nine vehicles were damaged, including four cop vehicles, some of which were extensively damaged.
Having driven through the roadblock, the truck hit a parked car and a signpost.
The man then drove to the A361 bridge spanning the M5, some six miles away, where he abandoned the vehicle.
Aircraft from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) were deployed to assist in the search for the driver.
The man was arrested 25 minutes later on suspicion of attempted murder of police officers and multiple counts of suspicion of criminal damage.
An area of Norton Fitzwarren has been cordoned off and forensic teams remain at the scene.
Police said in a statement: “The man left the address in a large military truck when officers arrived before driving the vehicle into two police cars blocking the road, causing them extensive damage.
“Thankfully, no police officers or members of the public were hurt in the incident.
“The man subsequently drove to the A361 M5 overbridge when he exited the vehicle and climbed over the railings, leading the motorway to be closed in both directions.
“The man was arrested 25 minutes later and he currently remains in police custody.”
It is understood lorry drivers helped intervene on the M5 at Taunton parking their HGVs underneath the overbridge to help safeguard a “person in crisis”.