A MAN accused of causing traffic chaos when he crashed into a lamppost on the A63 has appeared in court.
Simon Green, 35, has been charged with dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drugs and driving without insurance.
He is said to have been the driver of a Ford Mondeo that crashed into a lamppost in Castle Street just before 5am on Wednesday.
Police said the car lost control, span round and hit the lamppost opposite the Holiday Inn.
A 34-year-old man, who was a passenger in the car, spent two nights in Hull Royal Infirmary with chest injuries. He discharged himself from hospital yesterday.
Green's solicitor Nicholas Clay told the court: "He is in a great deal of pain, having suffered two cracks to his vertebrae and one or two of his ribs."
The road was closed for almost five hours after the crash, causing tailbacks across the city during the morning rush-hour.
Green, of Runcorn Garth, west Hull, is also accused of possessing an offensive weapon and affray in relation to a disturbance in Coltman Street which happened several hours before the crash.
Michael Wilson, 29, of Kilnwick Avenue, west Hull, has also been charged with affray.
Both men appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court yesterday. Neither entered pleas to any of the charges.
District Judge Frederick Rutherford said the case could not be dealt with in the magistrates' court.
He said: "These matters will proceed to Hull Crown Court. I have been asked to grant you both bail, but as it stands I am remanding you both in custody."
The court heard three other men were arrested in connection with the case yesterday.
Police closed one lane of the eastbound carriageway after the accident while the car was recovered and the lamppost made safe.
The accident caused traffic to queue from the Waterhouse Lane junction to the Princes Dock Street junction and along to St Andrew's Quay.
The knock-on effect created gridlock throughout the city centre, with many commuters reporting delays.
The problems were made worse when a second crash occurred on Castle Street at 10.30am, closing one lane of the westbound carriageway.
The road was shut near the Mytongate roundabout following the accident involving a VW Golf and a truck.
The driver of the VW Golf was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary with non-life threatening injuries.
Green and Wilson will appear in court again next week.
