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Raheem Sterling can be seen driving erratically and swerving across three lanes on the motorway in new footage filmed shortly before he crashed his £270,000 Lamborghini.
Former England footballer Sterling was arrested by Hampshire Police on Thursday on suspicion of drug driving.
The 31-year-old allegedly crashed his Lamborghini on the M3 and was pulled over by police at 9am. Sterling was released on bail having reportedly crashed his car into motorway barriers.
New dashcam footage shows Sterling pulling in front of another car without indicating before almost hitting the central reservation.
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A van is forced to break suddenly to avoid crashing into the Lamborghini, which then veers between two lanes for several seconds.
The dashcam footage comes from a driving instructor who was travelling with his family on holiday to Dorset.
‘I was in the middle lane and without warning a black Lamborghini pulled in front of me, forcing me to slow,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘I dropped back. I’m a driving instructor after all.
‘The car turned back into the inside lane but the driver put his foot down and veered right across all three lanes and seemed to just avoid hitting the central reservation.
‘It’s a powerful car and he could have easily gone through the central reservation if he’d hit the accelerator.
‘A van driver behind him was forced to brake and he then shot off again and turned back across three lanes again into the inside lane.
‘This was all caught on dashcam from 8.45am on Thursday. It was just before Junction 4a southbound on the M3.
‘The motorist was all over the place but I had no idea it was Raheem Sterling until I saw that he’d been arrested on suspicion of drug-driving by the Minley Interchange.
‘I like Raheem but as a driving instructor I’m very concerned. He could have easily caused himself – and others – a great deal of harm. He was very fortunate that he did not do so.’
Following Sterling’s arrest, a Hampshire Police spokesperson said: ‘Just before 9am on Thursday, we received reports that a Lamborghini was in collision with barriers on the M3 southbound, close to the Minley Interchange.
‘No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.
‘The driver, a 31-year-old man, from Berkshire, has been arrested on suspicion of driving a vehicle whilst unfit through drugs, driving dangerously, possession of a Class C drug and failing to provide a specimen. He has been bailed while our enquiries continue.’
Meanwhile, an eye-witness has spoken about how they watched on in shock as the car flew ‘4ft into the air’ and ‘spun 180 degrees’ after crashing.
‘Just after I got on the M3 westbound I saw a Lamborghini swerving,’ the motorist, who asked not to be named, told The Sun.
‘He nearly crashed into the left-hand barrier. He was drifting left into the hard shoulder and almost crashed. I thought there was something up with this guy.
‘By this point I’d gone past him in the fast lane and he nearly went into the side of me on the inside lane so I beeped him. As I’m looking at him I don’t even think he could hear me beeping.
‘He didn’t even acknowledge me beeping. I could just make out a young guy with a white vest on.
‘Once I was past him the swerving got much worse. As I got off at the Minley junction (4A) and I was merging left to go over the flyover bridge, he came flying down on my outside.
‘He was going fast on the wrong side of the road over the bridge, so four or five cars had to pull over to get out of his way.
‘I was still looking in my mirrors because it was inevitable he was going to crash. When I was going slowly, he nearly went into the back of me.
‘He cut in front of me and then veered left into a barrier and hit the front left of his vehicle and the tyres went about 4ft into the air. The car spun about 180 degrees. He would have kept going I’m sure if he hadn’t hit his wheels.
‘I was shocked when I found out it was Raheem Sterling at the wheel. I couldn’t believe it.’
Sterling, who was born in Jamaica before moving to England with his family at the age of five, was scouted by Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham and Manchester City as a child.
He joined Liverpool in 2010 and played over 100 games for the Reds but it was at Man City that he established himself as one of the best players in the world.
Sterling scored more than 100 goals for City and helped the club win four Premier League titles and six domestic cups.
The winger was a mainstay in the England team during that time, amassing 82 caps and featuring at multiple World Cups and European Championships.
Chelsea spent £50m to sign Sterling in 2022 but he spent just two underwhelming seasons at Stamford Bridge before being sent on loan to London rivals Arsenal.
Sterling hoped to revive his career under Mikel Arteta but was unable to make an impact, scoring one goals in 28 games before finally leaving Chelsea by mutual consent having been part of the infamous ‘bomb squad’ at Stamford Bridge.
The 31-year-old joined Dutch side Feyenoord in February on a deal until the end of the season but has continued to struggle under Premier League legend Robin van Persie.
Indeed, a source close to the player has said Sterling has gone through a difficult few years, saying: ‘The psychological strain that has been put on him is immeasurable.
‘The second he touches a ball, being told he’s a flop and he’s finished. Isolated. Mocked. Heckled.
‘He moved to the Netherlands to escape and rediscover his love for the game but the negativity followed. It’s been an extremely tough couple of years for him and this incident encompasses that.’
Last month, Van Persie hit out at the ‘cynicism’ around Sterling as supporters at Feyenoord began to turn on the four-time Premier League winner.
‘Personally, I struggle with the cynicism surrounding him,’ said Van Persie. ‘I think respect is more appropriate.
‘In any case, I don’t like cynicism. I can’t stand the whole atmosphere around him.’
Sterling was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 for his services to racial equality in sport.
‘Receiving this honour is a fantastic feeling and a proud moment – not just for myself but for my family and friends,’ said Sterling, who campaigned against racial injustice on and off the pitch since 2017.
‘I am grateful to have been recognised but my priority is to try to help to educate society and myself. If it doesn’t start from within, then there’s no way you can help others. I’m learning every day.’
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