Man arrested after climbing on car roofs and halting M5 traffic
A man was arrested after bringing M5 traffic to a standstill near Bridgwater, Somerset, on Thursday night when he walked on the live carriageway, hit vehicles, and climbed on car roofs. Avon and Somerset Police shut the motorway between junctions 23 and 24 at around 11.20pm on July 16.
The incident turned a busy stretch of motorway into a police-led closure that left drivers facing severe delays in Somerset. Witnesses told reporters the man was seen on the roof of a vehicle before officers removed him from the carriageway.
Key Takeaways
- Police closed the M5 between junctions 23 and 24 near Bridgwater at around 11.20pm on Thursday, July 16.
- Witnesses said the man was hitting cars and climbing on at least one vehicle roof on the live motorway.
- Officers detained the man, took him to Musgrove Park Hospital, and arrested him on suspicion of driving unfit through alcohol or drugs.
- A car believed to belong to the same man was found abandoned on the southbound carriageway.
- As of Friday morning, he remained in police custody according to Avon and Somerset Police.
What happened on the M5 near Bridgwater?
Avon and Somerset Police received reports of a man on foot on the carriageway and approaching vehicles on the M5 near Bridgwater. The force closed the motorway between junctions 23 and 24 while emergency services dealt with the scene.
According to Somerset Live, witnesses reported the man was hitting cars and was seen on the roof of a vehicle. One witness said four officers got him off the roof and marched him to the side of the road, while roughly eight officers formed a circle around him at one point.
The witness added that the man was shouting, but his words did not appear to make sense. Police said public safety was their priority, requiring a full road closure while the incident was handled.
Why did police close the motorway?
Authorities shut the M5 because a person was walking in the live traffic lanes and interacting with moving vehicles. A car believed to belong to the same individual was also found abandoned on the southbound side of the motorway.
Live M5 traffic coverage in Somerset reported severe delays amid a police incident that closed the motorway. For drivers, the closure turned a routine late-night run into an unexpected standstill on one of England's busiest routes.
Why was the man arrested after the M5 incident?
Officers detained the man at the scene and initially took him to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving unfit through alcohol or drugs and transported to police custody.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson confirmed the closure between junctions 23 and 24, the reports of a man on foot approaching vehicles, and the abandoned vehicle. The force said the man remained in custody on Friday morning.
Stories like this join a long list of unusual motorway incidents covered under our Bizarre News section—though this one unfolded on the M5 in Somerset, not Florida.
Somerset Live first reported witness accounts of the roof-climbing incident. For official details, see the full police statement quoted in their coverage of the arrest.