Police have released dramatic CCTV footage of the moment when a group of hooded youths hurled rocks and stones from a motorway bridge at speeding traffic below.
The attack, on June 17th at the M1 near Luton, smashed a truck windscreen, and is believed to be one of a series of related incidents. The victim of this particular attack avoided serious personal injury, but so far several other targeted lorry drivers have required medical assistance to remove fragments of glass from their eyes.
PC Charlie Pirie, from the Bedfordshire Police division has said that motorists have been fortunate to avoid a fatal road traffic accident.
“It doesn’t take much to imagine what could have happened if one of these heavy goods vehicle drivers had lost control of his lorry. Other road users would have been at extreme risk of being involved in a high speed collision and terrible consequences could have followed.”
Ambulance staff had also previously had a brick thrown at the windows of their vehicle, as they transported a patient to hospital via junctions 10 and 11 on the M1 heading in the northbound direction.
East of England Ambulance representative, Gary Sanderson was unequivocal in his condemnation of those involved.
“This mindless act could had seriously injured or even killed our crew and the patient and other road users on the motorway. Words cannot describe how the crew felt following this incident. The crew, both men, and the patient were very shaken up indeed.”
There have been eight recent incidents on the M1, and anyone who may have information about the culprits responsible are requested to ring 01582 304491 and speak with PC Pirie.
The recent attacks are part of a worrying and growing trend of dangerous and antisocial behaviour. Yobs intent on causing traffic accidents and harming motorists are now regularly making the news.
The M62 at Rochdale has previously seen gangs of hooligans damaging a number of vehicles, whereas Nottinghamshire police have recorded a bizarre case of a scooter thrown onto a moving car from a 30ft-high railway bridge.
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