A CAR collided with a lorry on the A19 after it is alleged the driver drove the wrong way down a slip road as he tried to evade police.

Police have confirmed details of the crash, on Monday, which happened after an hour-long series of incidents, beginning when officers were called to reports of a domestic disturbance in a village near Northallerton at 5.50pm.

The Northern Echo: CRASH: A car was involved in a collision with a lorry after being driven the wrong way down an A19 sliproad near Northallerton

CRASH: A car was involved in a collision with a lorry after being driven the wrong way down an A19 sliproad near Northallerton

They were informed that the man had left the scene in a car and was possibly under the influence of alcohol.

The Northern Echo understands officers managed to pull him over near Knayton half-an-hour later, after using their local knowledge to locate him.

But as the officer, who was on foot, tried to talk to the man through his window, the suspect reversed his car into the police vehicle behind and then drove off from the scene.

Police pursued him along the A19 until the car turned the wrong way down a slip road off the A19 near South Kilvington and potentially into the path of the oncoming traffic.

Officers abandoned the pursuit as it was unsafe, after which the car collided with a barrier and an HGV that was travelling in the opposite direction.

North Yorkshire Police referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) due to the police contact which happened prior to the crash.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Due to the police contact prior to the collision, North Yorkshire Police has referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for their consideration.”

The A19 was closed at about 6.40pm between Knayton and South Kilvington while emergency crews attended the scene of the accident.

Fire crews from Northallerton, Ripon and Thirsk were called to the scene and firefighters cut him free from his car by removing the car door using hydraulic cutting gear and small tools.

The driver of the car, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital by air ambulance, where he remains in a stable condition.

Diversions were put in place during the rescue and clean-up operation and the road was reopened at 11.27pm.

North Yorkshire Police say the man has not been arrested or charged.