Car crash man makes a swim for it - across park lake

A man allegedly involved in a crash outside Wilton Park in Batley made a swim for it – across the park lake.
Police were called to a collision near Wilton Park, on Bradford Road, Batley, on Sunday afternoon.Police were called to a collision near Wilton Park, on Bradford Road, Batley, on Sunday afternoon.
Police were called to a collision near Wilton Park, on Bradford Road, Batley, on Sunday afternoon.

A white estate car was involved in a collision near the park, on Bradford Road, on Sunday afternoon.

When police arrived a man fled into the park and waded across the ornamental lake and onto an island in the middle.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Videos posted on social media showed the man on the island surrounded by police as families watched on, many videoing what was happening on their mobile phones.

A man fled into the park and waded across the ornamental lake and onto an island in the middle of the water.A man fled into the park and waded across the ornamental lake and onto an island in the middle of the water.
A man fled into the park and waded across the ornamental lake and onto an island in the middle of the water.

In one video a police officer is heard to say: “Fella, you are not going anywhere. You might as well swim back across here. It’s only a matter of time.”

The man asked if the police “chopper” was being sent out.

The police officer replied: “Dogs, chopper, the lot! You have two choices. We get fire (firefighters) with a boat and the dogs coming over or…”

It wasn’t clear how long the stand-off lasted before the man waded back across and was tackled on the water’s edge by five police officers who pinned him down and arrested him.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another video shows three figures in a boat, at least two thought to be firefighters, rowing across to the island.

West Yorkshire Police denied local rumours of a police pursuit or a “fail to stop”.

A spokesman said: “Police were in attendance following a road traffic collision in Bradford Road, Batley. A vehicle collided with a lamppost on the central reservation.

“A 20-year-old male was located by officers in Wilton Park a short time later and was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.”