Driver dived from moving car after police chase through Wolverhampton
A driver sped through five sets of red lights during a police pursuit in Wolverhampton city centre and dived out of a moving car in a bid to escape arrest, a court heard.
Lamar Campbell led police on a high speed chase around the city's ring road after he was spotted driving on the wrong side of the road in the early hours of the morning on January 28.
When he was penned in by officers on Cross Street the 19-year-old leaped out of the car and fled, allowing the car to roll into concrete bollards at the end of the road.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Campbell was spotted driving erratically by police on patrol in Newhampton Road East at around 12.40am.
His Peugeot 206 was seen moving across onto the wrong side of the road at speed as it crossed the junction with Walpole Street, said Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting.
Police started to follow Campbell and hit the sirens, but the defendant increased his speed on Gloucester Street and drove onto the wrong side of Dunstall Road.
The chase continued along Gorsebrook Road and onto Stafford Road, where Campbell reached a speed of 60mph as he headed towards the city centre, Mr Edwards said.
"At this point the police could not gain any ground on the defendant," added the prosecutor.
"He drove through a red light on Cannock Road without stopping and again reached speeds of up to 60mph."
The court heard that Campbell raced through another red light on Ring Road St Patrick's and weaved across all three lanes of the carriageway to avoid stationary vehicles.
He went through another set of lights on Wednesfield Road at 60mph, and then through red lights on two further occasions as he entered Horseley Fields, Mr Edwards said.
"In total he went through five sets of red lights," he added. "The pursuit ended when the defendant made a sharp right turn into Cross Street, which is a dead end with concrete bollards blocking the road.
"The vehicle slowed to 10mph and he dived out, leaving it coasting to a stop when it reached the bollards."
The defendant fled the scene but was captured a short time later, the court was told. He is said to have made no comment during a police interview.
Campbell, of Great Hampton Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, admitted dangerous driving.
He is due to be sentenced on June 26.
