Girl, 15, and woman arrested after wrong-way crash on M1 leaves man in hospital

| Live News reporter Published September 12, 2026 3:09pm Updated September 12, 2026 3:19pm Three have been arrested after a man in his 20s sustained serious injuries in another wrong-way crash (Picture: YappApp) A woman, 30, and a girl, 15, have been arrested after driving the wrong way down the M1 and crashing into a van, hospitalising its driver. The collision occurred on the major motorway near Wakefield late last night and led to the northbound carriageway being closed as emergency services attended the scene, including an air ambulance. West Yorkshire Police reported that a blue Kia Proceed failed to stop for officers and continued heading the wrong way against the traffic. The red Dacia Sandero driver has suffered potentially life-changing injuries. He is in his 20s. As well as the woman and teenage girl, an 18-year-old male has been arrested for causing injury by reckless driving. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. The woman was further arrested for being over the prescribed limit. It’s reported that another person fled the scene. The three Kia passengers are believed to have sustained minor injuries. They remain in custody. Confirming the incident initially, a social media message posted just before midnight read: ‘The M1 is closed northbound between J39 and J41 near Wakefield due to a serious collision. ‘Traffic is currently stopped on the southbound carriageway between J41 and J40. ‘There are delays of 20 minutes on the approach in both directions.’ Images from the scene show police cars and ambulances scattered across the cordoned-off road as congestion builds. This morning, National Highways confirmed that the M1 was back open in both directions. Police have appealed for any witnesses to contact them with information that may prove useful as investigations continue. ‘Anyone who witnessed the collision, including anyone who may have dashcam or other video footage of the incident, is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit by calling 101 or going online, quoting reference 13260519370. ‘Information can also be provided to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.’ Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. Arrow MORE: Woman, 88, found ‘murdered’ at home with man, 36, arrested Arrow MORE: Mystery remains over woman found dead in bin bag after police rule out 70 possible names Arrow MORE: Salesman admits encouraging men to drug and rape their partners in sick chatroom Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.