Judge jails dangerous driver over shocking high-speed crash into taxi on residential street
A judge has jailed a disqualified driver over a high-speed crash on a residential street, saying it was a “miracle” no one was badly hurt.
Rees McPherson, 32, from Baldwin Webb Avenue, Telford, was already banned from driving when he smashed his BMW into the back of a taxi on Wombridge Road, Trench Court.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told police estimated McPherson was travelling at more than 50mph in the 30mph zone when he hit the car, at around 6.45pm on June 15, 2021.
Shocking video shown to the court showed the taxi, which was slowed almost to a stop and indicating waiting to turn right, being launched across the road, narrowly missing two pedestrians, and leaving its driver with back and neck injuries.
McPherson’s car veered into the drive of a house on the left, smashing into several parked cars, and again narrowly missing a man who was on his driveway.
McPherson and three other friends who had been in the car could be seen jumping out and running away – with McPherson dashing back to the car to retrieve his phone before making off.
Kevin Jones Prosecuting said that McPherson used the phone to call for someone to pick him up from a nearby pub.
He gave a no-comment interview after being arrested by police, but the court heard his DNA was found on the car’s airbag.
He had admitted one charge of dangerous driving and another of driving while disqualified.
In terms of damage, one car was written-off, £15,455 of repairs were needed for the taxi, £1,390 for another car, and £1,782 for another vehicle.
Mitigating, Rob Edwards, said that McPherson had been “egged on” by friends. He said: “He is very remorseful in relation to this offence. He recognises how much more serious it could have been and has taken steps to move away from that group of friends who egged him on.”
He added: “It is nothing more than pure luck that no one was seriously injured or killed by his actions. That stupidity continued when he fled the scene. That was pure stupidity but was driven by pure panic.”
Sentencing, Judge Peter Barrie said: “It was a clear sunny day, the verges are wide, nothing to prevent you having a good view of the road ahead and a bright red taxi passes a junction intending to turn right.
“It is approached at a steady speed in comparison with which it is very clear to see your car drives along the road at a very high speed, far in excess of the speed limit.”
He added: “There is no real attempt to brake and the car runs into the back of the taxi at high speed, spinning the taxi across the road.”
“It is extraordinary that the taxi driver was not injured. Then your car veers to the left and crashes into the cars parked on the driveway on the left side.
“A householder on the drive you crashed onto was coming out, it was a miracle he was not injured.
“It was highly dangerous driving in an area where you have people, in particular pedestrians, who were at risk of catastrophic injury, it is a miracle neither of them sustained any serious injury.”
“The the aftermath of this was not to stop and see how the taxi driver was, but to flee the scene. It looks like you went back for your telephone to call for help and you were picked up from a pub that you had fled to.”
He continued: “Your behaviour afterwards was appalling. You caused very substantial property damage. Only by a miracle did you not cause serious injury to people who were close by at the time of impact.”
Judge Barrie jailed McPherson for 32 weeks and disqualified him from driving for two years.
He will also have to take an extended test to regain his licence.
