HGV Driver fails breathalyser test after being stopped at Reading

Police responded to reports from the public after the vehicle was spotted driving in an erratic manner on the M4 near Slough

Author: Jonathan RichardsPublished 13th Jul 2021

Police have arrested a lorry driver near Reading after he failed a roadside breathalyser test.

Members of the public called the Police after seeing the 44-tonne vehicle being driven erratically on the M4 near Slough.

Police eventually stopped it between junctions 11 and 12 at Reading.

They've thanked the public for averting what they say could have been a "far more serious incident."

The driver of the lorry was breathalysed and provided a road side reading almost 3 times the drink drive limit and was arrested.

Officers from the Thames Valley Police Commercial Vehicle Unit also attended and assisted in moving the vehicle into a nearby services, downloading the Tachograph and contacting the company's transport manager.

On the TVP Roads Policing Facebook page they said:

"The driver's evidential sample at the police station was 82, they’ve now been charged and bailed to court.

"Thank you to the members of public who called this in, undoubtedly you prevented a far more serious incident happening with your calls, which enabled us to quickly locate and stop this recipe for disaster before it happened.

"If you ever suspect someone to be drink or drug driving, please don’t hesitate to call 999 and report this to us immediately."

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