Father urges care on roads as bus driver sentenced

A FATHER from Sheffield who spent 17 days in a coma and had part of his skull removed after being knocked down by a bus has urged drivers to take care.

Garon White, 26, was left with life-changing injuries after the incident on the A61 Penistone Road in Hillsborough.

Due to the severity of his injuries, which included a fractured skull and two brain bleeds, Mr White’s family were told he would not survive and police treated the case as potentially fatal.

After the collision at 4.10am on 24 November 2018, witnesses described how bus driver Anthony Naylor said: “You better move because I’m not stopping,” seconds before the impact.

After a loud bang, Naylor said: “I just hit him,” in a “flippant throwaway way,” prosecutor Louise Gallagher told Sheffield Crown Court, on Friday.

He was taking four fellow drivers to work when he hit Mr White as he ran across the road with a friend after visiting the casino.

Naylor, 51, of Miles Road, Shirecliffe, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, on February 27.

Despite the serious and lifechanging nature of his injuries, Mr White said he doesn’t “hold a grudge” and said he did not want the driver to go to prison.

Judge Sarah Wright told Naylor it was an “arrogant and selfish act” which showed “wanton disregard for another human being”.

Naylor received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was banned from driving for two years.

Mr White said: “I now want to focus on my recovery and spending time with my family.

“I just hope that by speaking out drivers are aware of the damage they can cause and take care when driving.”