A biker is jailed after a high speed chase in County Durham. He crashed in a pedestrian zone endangering the public.
Ciaran Parker, who is 20, was riding a stolen bike in Pelton around 10:30 a.m. on April 2 of last year. A police officer on a bike saw him and Parker ignored the lights and orders to stop, speeding toward South Pelaw instead. He went about 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.
Parker was not wearing a helmet. He kept riding in a very dangerous way, passing cars at junctions and riding on the wrong side of the road. He sped through a crosswalk, even with the green light, and neared Chester-le-Street’s town center. He failed to yield, forcing a bus to halt.
Parker sped down Front Street, a pedestrian zone, going over 40 mph before losing control of the stolen motorbike. The bike skidded and almost hit a mom and her children. Parker suffered serious injuries and went to a local hospital.
The police found the bike was stolen earlier that day from a yard in Stanley around 1:20 a.m. A related drug test also revealed that Parker had cocaine and cannabis in his system.
Parker was later charged with several crimes, including aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving. He also drove without a license or insurance, and while under the influence. Parker admitted his guilt at court and will spend 14 months in a young offender institution.
Detective Michelle Leonard spoke about the case, stating that Parker rode incredibly dangerously and recklessly through residential areas. The detective also said he was often on the road’s wrong side. She is happy with the sentence and hopes it sends a clear message.