Motherwell police crackdown on drivers in three incidents

Among them is a 26-year-old female driver who caused police to rush to Motherwell's Merry Street at 7.05pm on Friday April 30. It's alleged she drove through a red light and crashed into another vehicle causing "significant" damage.

She was arrested and charged with alleged road traffic offences in regard to the calibre of her driving and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

Meanwhile, on the following day (Saturday May 1) police were involved in a breakfast time car chase which saw them pursue a motorist round the Motherwell and Bellshill area at 9.30 am. They had attempted to stop a 38-year-old male driver in Forgewood's Bellshill Road - but he refused to stop and sped away from them, sparking the chase.

His vehicle is alleged to have mounted a grass area, causing the driver to leap from the car while it was moving.

He then ran off and took the drastic step of jumping into the River Calder before being apprehended by officers.

He was then arrested on numerous alleged road traffic offences

Strathclyde Park would be the location of the next incident on Sunday (May 2) after officers had reason to speak to a driver at the wheel - at 8.30am. The 46-year-old failed a drugs test and was arrested.

However the matter did not end there - after a search of his car recovered what was believed to be a controlled drug.

Meanwhile drugs have featured in another arrest near a Motherwell tower block.

The incident occurred on Saturday, May 1 around 8pm when officers were in the area, dealing with an unrelated matter in a car park close to Dalziel Tower.

Their attention fell on a 21-year-old male who aroused their suspicions and a search revealed that he allegedly had several different types of drugs on his person. He was then charged with drugs offences.

Reports on all the above have been sent to the Procurator Fiscal in Hamilton.