SUV smashes into parked cars and houses

Local residents were left shocked after a grey Hyundai Tucson smashed into two parked cars, struck a house and ploughed into a garden fence before knocking over a street light.

One woman, who didn’t want to be named, told the Ulster Star how she returned home at around 10.45pm to find that her garden fence had been demolished.

“I came home from a concert and my front garden had been destroyed,” the woman said. “I arrived about 10 minutes after the incident occurred, but what seems to have happened is a gentleman in a big dark coloured people carrier-type car has hit two parked cars on Wesley Street, gone into a bit of a spin, destroyed my garden and smashed into a street light and ended up in the middle of the road.

“That road is very busy and it’s lucky no one was injured. There would usually be a lot of young people about, especially during the summer months.”

The woman, who has welcomed plans for the introduction of traffic calming measures in the area, said one of the neighbour’s cars that was hit “is a total write-off”.

She added that she too has been left with a hefty repair bill, and estimates that replacing her gate post and wrought iron fence could cost her around £1,500.

“I’d just like to thank the PSNI, Department for Infrastructure and NIE for being so prompt and being there so quickly after the crash. The PSNI managed the situation very well,” she continued.

“It was a scary incident for the residents, especially those whose property was struck.

“Thankfully no-one was injured and my neighbours who have small children, they weren’t there thankfully as it would have been incredibly frightening for them. It was frightening for anyone on the street, but we are fortuitous that no-one was injured. Cars and property can be replaced but thankfully nobody was hurt. It’s just the shock of it and the financial loss.”

A PSNI spokesperson confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the incident.

“Police responded to a road traffic collision in the Wesley Street area of Lisburn on Saturday 5 August at around 10pm, involving a grey Hyundai car which it was reported had struck a lamp post, a garden wall and a number of parked cars,” she said.

“A 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene on a number of driving offences. He has since been released on police bail, pending further enquiries.”