Police said the man had to be rushed to hospital for hypothermia after he jumped into a fast-flowing river in an apparent attempt to escape officers following a chase down a motorway
A man who “couldn’t swim” had to be rushed to hospital after he jumped into a fast-flowing river in a “bid to escape police”.
South Wales Police said the incident unfolded after the man’s car caught the attention of traffic cameras along the M4 in Swansea. A police helicopter and multiple vehicles then began chasing the suspect as he headed eastbound. After allegedly driving erratically to evade police along the A4119, the suspect was eventually brought to a sudden stop by a police stinger device, the force said.
The man is then alleged to have fled his vehicle and jumped into the River Taff, reports Wales Online. Officers reached the side of the riverbank and asked him to get out of the river, which they say he refused to do. At this point, he began to be quickly carried away by the current, and he ended up 400m downstream.
First attempts to rescue the man from the water with floats proved unsuccessful, and within a few seconds a dog handling officer chose to jump in themselves to rescue the man, along with a traffic colleague.
The man was taken to hospital to be treated for severe hypothermia. Everyone involved is expected to make a full recovery. He later told officers he couldn’t swim, and feared he would die.
South Wales Police said an investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the force added: “Pursuing criminals and protecting vulnerable people are key aims for our officers – and the two often go hand in hand.”
