A 41-year-old man has been remanded in custody after allegedly taking a stolen 24-tonne bulldozer on a drunken and destructive joyride through the heart of Wolverhampton.
Darren Coffey, from Sandwell, is facing a string of charges following the shocking incident on Saturday night, which saw the massive earthmover plough through the city centre as stunned onlookers watched.
Chaotic City Centre Scene
The unauthorised operator commandeered the excavator, which had been taken from a property in Staffordshire on November 8. West Midlands Police believe the journey into Wolverhampton was an attempt to target a specific address.
The bulldozer was captured on video in a dramatic confrontation with a Royal Mail lorry on Willenhall Road. Footage shows the earthmover ramming the postal vehicle out of its path and forcing it into railings as it continued its thunderous journey.
Charlene Harris, 47, who filmed the incident, described the surreal scene. 'When we came out, it looked like the police were stopping the Royal Mail van, but then we realised a copper was driving it,' she said. 'The police were shouting at everyone to keep away - and then we got word that a bulldozer was coming down from Willenhall. The bulldozer got through the lorry easily. We couldn't believe what was going on.'
Police Pursuit and Multiple Charges
West Midlands Police received the first calls from concerned members of the public shortly before 6pm. Officers were seen running alongside the vehicle in a desperate attempt to bring the reckless ride to a halt.
The machine caused significant damage to road surfaces and street furniture as it travelled through Wolverhampton city centre, along Bridgnorth Road, Compton Road West, and even onto the A4150 dual carriageway. The bulldozer finally came to rest at 8.15pm.
Darren Coffey has been charged with:
- Dangerous driving
- Failing to stop
- Driving a motor vehicle without a licence or insurance
- Threat to damage or destroy property
- Drink driving
- Aggravated vehicle taking and vehicle damage under £5,000
- Two counts of criminal damage to a property under £5,000
Court Appearance and Aftermath
The suspect has been remanded in custody and was due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on November 10.
The incident left residents and witnesses in disbelief at the scale of the disruption and the sheer audacity of the drunken bulldozer joyride. The amount of police resources deployed to stop the machine was described as 'unbelievable' by those who witnessed the extraordinary events unfold on the streets of Wolverhampton.
