Charges and Police Statement

Raheem Sterling has been charged with dangerous driving, possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, and failing to provide a specimen, following a car crash on the M3 in May. The charges were announced by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, whose spokesman said Sterling, 31, from Berkshire, is due to appear at Basingstoke magistrates court on 15 September.

The charges stem from a single-vehicle collision involving a Lamborghini on the M3 southbound, close to the Minley Interchange, on 28 May 2026. Police said no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.

The Sun and The Irish Sun reported that Sterling's Lamborghini was valued at £270,000. According to those outlets, concerned motorists dialled 999 after seeing a black luxury 4x4 swerving across the M3 just before 9am. Sterling was arrested near an interchange close to Farnborough, as reported by talkSPORT and The Sun. He had been due to answer bail on Friday, according to The Sun and The Irish Sun.

The Sun and The Irish Sun noted that nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas and hippy crack, was reclassified as a class C controlled substance in November 2023. The substance is typically inhaled from balloons to produce a short-lived euphoric high.

If convicted of dangerous driving, Sterling could face up to two years in prison, according to talkSPORT.

Career and Background

Sterling, a former England international with 82 caps, began his career at Liverpool, joining from the QPR academy at age 15 in 2010, as reported by The Sun and The Irish Sun. He moved to Manchester City in 2015 after a contract dispute, winning four Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, and an FA Cup during his time there. In July 2022, he transferred to Chelsea for £50 million, according to The Sun and The Irish Sun.

However, his time at Chelsea was difficult. Sources close to Sterling told The Sun and The Irish Sun that his mental health suffered following the move, and that he was made to feel 'worthless' despite his international career. He was also ordered to train separately from the first team after then-manager Enzo Maresca decided he was surplus to requirements, as reported by The Sun and The Irish Sun.

Sterling joined Feyenoord on loan in February 2025, a deal that did not work out, though he later joined the Dutch club permanently. He departed Feyenoord at the end of the 2025/26 season and is currently a free agent, according to talkSPORT.

Sterling is engaged to Paige Milian, and they have two children. He also has a daughter from a previous relationship, according to The Sun and The Irish Sun.

This is a developing story.