Article Wham! Scram!

[George Michael]

Dozy George hits three parked cars He drives off without telling owners

Families in a suburban street told last night how they watched in disbelief as George Michael allegedly pranged three parked cars - then drove away without telling their owners.

Witnesses who rushed from their houses yesterday morning after hearing a loud crash discovered the dishevelled ex-Wham singer sitting in his Range Rover staring at a dented grey Ford Fiesta.

He then started to drive away but hit the rear of a second parked car, a white Peugeot 406. The impact sent the Peugeot shunting foward into the front of the third stationary motor, a green Rover 218 that had been parked a few feet away.

The onlookers say they then saw 42- year-old George simply drive away without finding the cars' owners to exchange insurance details with them.

One witness to the bizarre 8am incident looked out of a window after hearing the first crash and saw a Range Rover disappearing down the street. Minutes later it returned, with George at the wheel.

The witness added: "The first thing I heard was a loud smash. I looked outside and saw a Range Rover driving off.

"When I went downstairs people were standing round in the street looking at a damaged car.

"That's when the Range Rover came back round and stopped.

"I spotted George Michael just sitting there, staring at us. He didn't look too good for that time on a Sunday morning.

"After a while he tried to move off but shunted into the back of a Peugeot.

"It scraped its wheels along the kerb and then smashed into the front of the green Rover. There was another almighty crash, then he just drove off again. It was really bizarre. No one could quite believe what they were seeing." A second witness had no doubt about the identity of the bearded figure behind the Range Rover's wheel

He said: "I instantly saw that it was George Michael. He just seemed to stare at some of the people standing there."

The accidents took place in Highgate, North London - less than a mile from where George lives with his boyfriend Kenny Goss.

Last night George's navy Range Rover Vogue was parked outside their exclusive townhouse.

The front right light was smashed and the car was badly dented. Scrapings of white paint could be clearly seen on its bodywork.

Repairs to the four cars are expected to cost more than ￡15,000.

The back bumper of the Peugeot was ripped off and the rear lights were smashed. The couple who own it, who said they did not wish to be named, were visiting family in London for Easter.

The front bumper of the Rover was badly dented, and the bonnet was pushed off by the force of the collision.

The Metropolitan Police last night confirmed they were investigating the incident. A spokeswoman said: "At 8.10 am on Sunday morning police were informed of a Range Rover being in collision with a number of cars in Hornsey Lane, North London.

"The vehicle was later found parked unattended. The driver has yet to be questioned and we are unable to confirm‎ at this stage who was driving the vehicle that was involved."

Driving away and failing to report a road accident is a criminal offence which carries a maximum sentence of six months behind bars. A driver who is unable to find the owner of a vehicle involved in a shunt must report the accident to police within 24 hours.

In February, George was found slumped over the wheel of a Mercedes near Hyde Park, Central London.

Police found cannabis in the boot of the car, along with sex toys and bizarre bondage gear, including headgear known as a gimp mask.

Michael was initially arrested under his real name Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou on suspicion of being unfit to drive. He spent the night in cells before being bailed to return to the police station.

He was not charged with any offence. Millionaire George, who has admitted being a heavy cannabis user, said: "It is my own stupid fault, as usual.

"I was in possession of Class C drugs, which is an offence. I have no complaints about the police who were professional throughout."

Three weeks ago he accepted a police caution for having cannabis.

George has sold more than 85 million records worldwide and notched up six No1 singles in the US and eleven in Britain.

Last night a spokeswoman for the star said she had been unable to contact him.

But yesterday afternoon a man arrived at the scene of the accidents and said he was hoping to speak to the owners of the damaged cars to sort out repairs.

The man declined to reveal his identity but he was later spotted at George's home.