Uninsured BMW driver crashed into taxi on A48 at Cross Handshttps://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/ne ... oss-hands/AN UNINSURED 18-year-old BMW driver seriously injured a taxi driver after smashing into his car at 141mph.
Police were driving on the A48 at 4.23am on Saturday, January 25 last year, prosecutor Caitlin Brazel told Swansea Crown Court.
As they drove towards Cross Hands, a BMW driven by Max Dangerfield overtook at them high speed.
The officers switched on their blue lights, but Dangerfield accelerated away. Despite reaching 120mph, they lost sight of the defendant.
A short time later, they came across the scene of a crash, after Dangerfield’s BMW hit a taxi with such force that it veered across into the central reservation and then back to the nearside verge.
The fire service were called to help free the taxi driver, who was stuck in the car, and he was taken by ambulance to University Hospital of Wales.
Ms Brazel said he suffered seven fractured ribs, bruising to his lungs, a grade two laceration to his liver, and six microbleeds on the brain.
The two passengers, who were aged 22 and 18 and were returning home from a night out, were not seriously injured, but were taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
As the officers were aiding the victims, another driver arrived on the scene and went to Dangerfield’s car. The defendant was sat on his phone and appeared to be uninjured.
Police signalled for Max Dangerfield to stop after he overtook officers at speed on the A48 at Cross Hands. (Image: CPS)
Crash investigators received a data download from the airbag control unit in the defendant’s car, and this revealed he was travelling at 141.67mph at the time of the crash.
Checks also revealed Dangerfield was uninsured at the time, for which he was fined at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court.
In a statement read out by Ms Brazel, the taxi driver said he was bed-bound for several months after the crash and was unable to work for six months, after which he was only able to return part-time.
He added that he now does not work night shifts and still suffered issues associated with the injuries caused by the crash.
The defendant, of Felinfoel, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The court heard Dangerfield was “emotional” on the day of the crash following an argument with a friend, and was driving to the gym in order to work out his frustration.
“He accepts now he was not in any fit mental state to be driving,” said Megan Williams, appearing for the defendant.
“He takes full responsibility.
“He hasn’t driven since this incident.”
Ms Williams said there had been a delay in the case coming to court, and Dangerfield – now aged 20 – had not re-offended since and had no previous convictions prior to the crash.
“You were driving at an extreme and, in my view, an unbelievable speed,” said Judge Huw Rees.
“This was an atrocious example of bad driving.
“You could have killed a number of people.
“All this is due to your selfish want to drive at an extreme speed of 141mph in an area limited to 70mph.”
He sentenced Dangerfield to two years and four months in a Young Offender Institution, disqualified him from driving for 50 months, and ordered him to pass an extended driving test before regaining his licence.
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