Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Hit-and-run driver panicked and left teen at roadside
Rugby coach spared jail for ‘shameful’ actions
A hit-and-run driver who “panicked” and fled the scene after crashing into a teenage cyclist has been spared jail.
Rugby coach Elliot Lusher, 22, was overtaking another vehicle on an unlit bend in Blean when he crashed into 15-year-old Ted Warne-harvey, leaving him with multiple fractures.
He was the second of two drivers to collide with the teenager, with both fleeing the scene.
Mr Warne-harvey had been cycling up Blean Hill towards Whitstable at about 7.20pm on February 27, when the accident happened.
As he approached a gradual right-turning bend, a black car appeared metres away from him, approaching head-on on his side of the road at “between 60 to 70mph”, Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard last Wednesday.
“I immediately closed my eyes and steered left out of the road,” said Mr Warne-harvey, in a statement read by the prosecution.
“The wing mirror clipped my right arm, causing me to steer into the second vehicle that was immediately behind.
“This made me go straight into the second car which was closely following the first car, at the same speed.
“The second car hit me in my foot, hand and shoulder.
“I managed to stay on my bike but I felt a lot of pain.”
Mr Warne-harvey described seeing the second car’s wing mirror fly off from the force of impact.
“I tried to get off the bike, and as I put pressure on my right foot I fell to the ground,” he said.
Neither vehicle stopped, with both drivers instead continuing down the hill.
Another driver called 999, and and Mr Warne-harvey was rushed to Margate’s QEQM hospital, where he was treated for a broken foot, two fractured fingers, fractures to his hand, and a graze to his shoulder.
“All these injuries I believe were caused by the collision from the second vehicle that hit me,” he said.
The driver of the second vehi
cle was later found to be Elliot Lusher, of Sancroft Avenue, Canterbury.
The full-time groundworker, who plays semi-professional rugby for Canterbury Rugby Club and is a volunteer coach for their under-12s team, attended a voluntary police interview in March.
He later pleaded guilty by post to failing to stop after the road accident or report it to police.
Jack Stewart, defending, said Lusher “just panicked” after hitting the teen.
He said Lusher had been returning from Whitstable when the car in front “decided to overtake a slow vehicle” and he followed, crashing into the victim.
“He is wholeheartedly ashamed of himself for acting in such a way and not turning back and checking the young lad was OK,” he said.
“His entire family - his mum, his siblings - are angry with him for the way he has behaved.
“They are a family that has never been involved in the justice system before, and they are both ashamed and embarrassed that Mr Lusher is here today for such a horrible offence.”
He said the incident is “wholly out of character” for Lusher, who “considers himself a safe driver” and is “extremely remorseful for his actions”.
“I appreciate that this is a very
serious matter and on a different day circumstances may have been far worse,” he said.
“Mr Lusher appreciates that, however this is a lesson learned the very hard way.
“I am confident Mr Lusher, if presented with such circumstances again, will do the right thing the next time.”
Mr Stewart urged magistrates to add points to his licence instead of banning him from driving, so he can continue driving to work and to coach youth rugby.
Lusher was given a 12-month community order, requiring him to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Ten points were also added to his licence, and he was ordered to pay costs of £180.
Magistrate Chris Mackenny said: “If you have any other motoring conviction, that’s going to take you over 12 points. In that case, you’re likely to be disqualified for six months.
“It’s now down to you to ensure that you obey the laws, and don’t get caught again.
“Because the court’s not going to accept your coaching as a reason for not disqualifying you that’s already been taken into account now.”
Police have not been able to trace the driver of the other vehicle, and have ceased their investigation unless further information comes to light.
‘His entire family his mum, his siblings - are angry with him for the way he has behaved’