Learner driver doing 96mph in stolen car left family injured in serious collision

27-YEAR-OLD ‘SPOOKED BY POLICE’ LOST CONTROL AND HIT TRAFFIC ISLAND

A LEARNER driver doing 96mph in a 30 zone after being spooked by police left a family injured and traumatised by smashing into their car.

Kane Oman was behind the wheel of a stolen VW Golf, which police were on the lookout for. When he saw a police car, he accelerated up to three times the speed limit before losing control and hitting a traffic island. He then smashed into an Audi containing a couple and their two young children, leaving the man so seriously injured his daughter thought he was dead.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the Golf then crashed into and demolished a bus shelter before Oman ran off over farm fields. Police used a drone to track him down and he was found hiding behind a barn. Now the 27-yearold, of Glenridding Close, Low Fell, Gateshead, has been jailed for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The crash happened on January 7, 2023 on the A692, heading out of Burnopfield, County Durham, towards Byermoor. Oman was driving a VW Golf which had been stolen in a burglary by others three months earlier.

Police had become aware the stolen car was in the area on false plates and a number of police vehicles were in the area looking for it. Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said: “It’s believed the defendant, aware of the questionable history of the vehicle, became spooked by their presence.”

Around 2pm, Oman drove past one of the police cars at what was later calculated from dashcam footage to be an average of 96mph in the 30 zone. Officers pulled out to follow him and could see collision debris flying through the air. Mr Bunch said: “From the same footage and examination of the scene, it could be established the defendant’s vehicle hit the traffic island, almost certainly because of its high speed, causing him to lose control of the car.”

As a result of the loss of control, the Golf collided with a car travelling in front of it, an Audi A4 containing a couple and their children, aged seven and four. Their car was forced off the road due to the severity of the impact.

Oman’s car then hit and demolished a bus shelter before coming to rest on a verge. Mr Bunch said: “A teenage girl walking on the verge could be seen on the footage in a distraught state given events that had unfolded in front of her.

“The defendant could be seen running away from the scene across some farm fields with someone else. The police used a drone to track them before officers found them hiding behind some barns on the farm.”

The man driving the Audi was knocked out and left bleeding from a 20cm wound to his head and one of his children thought he was dead. He also had bruising to his torso and arm and his scalp wound, which had to be stitched, later became infected.

His wife’s seat had been forced back, trapping the legs of one of the youngsters in the back. The wife suffered a bloodied nose and neck and shoulder pain, from which she continues to suffer.

Referring to a victim impact statement made by the man, Mr Bunch said he continues to suffer headaches and added: “He felt very lucky he and his family were not more seriously hurt or even killed. Earlier this year he said the effects remain, despite the passage of time.

“His elder daughter and wife still have physical consequences and both have had to have counselling. He lost work himself and this means his family are at risk of losing their home because he has been unable to make rent payments because of the loss of work.”

Oman initially lied, denying he was driving but later pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Recorder Felicity Davies jailed him for 12 months and banned him from driving for two years.

At the time, he only had a provisional licence and was not insured but he was not charged with offences in relation to that within the time limit of six months.

He has eight previous convictions, including in 2015 when he was fined for failing to report and stop after an accident and in October 2022 when he was fined for driving without a licence and insurance. He had eight points on his licence at the time of the latest offence.

Shaun Routlege, defending, said: “His expression of remorse appears to be heartfelt. Despite this being serious, it could have been worse.

“His work ethic is positive, he is lightly convicted and is extremely remorseful. After this incident he has passed his driving test.”