The arrested man is in hospital with ‘potentially life changing’ injuries
21:55, 03 Sep 2026Updated 21:57, 03 Sep 2026
A driver has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and driving while unfit through drink/drugs in the wake of two crashes on the M5 last night (Wednesday, September 2).
At the time Bristol Live reported how the M4 westbound was closed due to an accident at junction 20 of the M5 and junction 15 at the Almondsbury Interchange.
National Highways explained that, because of the crash, traffic could not join the M4 westbound from either direction. Emergency services attended the scene and some witnesses said that while the traffic was at a standstill motorists exited their vehicles on the motorway.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police has now given more details of the events on Wednesday night and the circumstances surrounding the road closure.
They stated: “We were called at just after 9pm yesterday on Wednesday 2 September to the Almondsbury interchange on the M5 northbound and M4 westbound following reports of a collision.
“The initial report was of a car which had collided with the central reservation of the carriageway. The driver of the car then got out of his vehicle and was involved in a further collision involving two other vehicles travelling on the M4 carriageway.
“The driver and passenger of the initial vehicle were taken to hospital, where the passenger has since been discharged.
“The driver, who has been arrested and remains under police supervision in hospital, is not thought to have life-threatening injuries but are potentially life changing.
“The drivers of the other cars involved are aiding us with our enquiries and are being treated as witnesses.
“Both carriageways were closed while emergency services attended but reopened at 10.30pm yesterday.
“If you have any information, or witnessed the collision or moments which followed, please call us on 101 and quote reference 5226252893.”