A court was shown the horrific moment a driver being chased by police struck a student in Bristol city centre. And instead of stopping he drove for some 100 metres with her clinging to his bonnet.
Single amputee Macauley Tomlinson had been seen on Hotwells Road pulling a screaming woman into his specially adapted Ford Kuga, Bristol Crown Court heard. Police called in found the Kuga in Millennium Square and tried to stop it, but Tomlinson sped off - colliding with the student and also unsighting a police driver, causing him to hit a taxi and seriously injure a passenger before Tomlinson was arrested after a police stinger device was deployed.
Tomlinson, 26, of Bevington Close, Midsomer Norton, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving on April 30. Today (May 31) Judge William Hart jailed him for four years.
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The judge told Tomlinson: "It was an extremely reckless piece of behaviour. You had no intent to cause serious injury to anyone, but you are charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving."
Tomlinson, who was found to have alcohol and cocaine in his body under the legal driving limit, was banned from driving for five years. He was ordered to take an extended driving test.
Mandla Ndlovu, prosecuting, said police tried to pull Tomlinson over but he sped off from Canons Way and on to St Augustines Parade. He then jumped a red traffic light at speed.
Mr Ndlovu said: "His car struck a couple crossing the road. They were Benjamin Vans Colina and Eva Baumback.
"Miss Baumback was trapped on the vehicle's bonnet after it struck her. She remained there for a few seconds before the windscreen wiper broke and she fell from the vehicle."
The court heard Miss Baumback, a student at Exeter University, suffered a fractured tibia and numerous scrapes and bruises. Mr Ndlovu told the court Tomlinson sped off at 60-80mph on Bond Street and then up to 120mph on the M32.
Police car camera footage captured Tomlinson as he swerved on the hard shoulder of the motorway, throwing up stones and debris. In the course of the pursuit a taxi pulled into the hard shoulder to avoid him and police hit the taxi at around 110mph, flipping it onto its roof.
Passenger Andrew Miller, who was in the taxi with his pregnant partner Rebecca, sustained a smashed pelvis, dislocated hip and dislocated wrist. Tomlinson continued on for a further 15 miles before police used a stinger device to deflate his tyres.
Tomlinson fled from his car but was tasered, arrested and made no comment when interviewed. Robyn Rowland, defending, said his "incredibly remorseful" client could not explain why he drove in the way he did.
He said it was possibly contributed to by his thoughts concerning the medical condition of a loved one. Mr Rowland also said his client had mobility and health issues, and urged for the sentence to be kept as short as possible.
Officer in the case PC Andy Smetham said: "Tomlinson was driving at speeds of up to 80mph in on city centre roads busy with pedestrians on a Saturday night. He reached 120mph on the M32.
"He failed to stop even after colliding with two pedestrians and carrying a young woman around 100m on his bonnet. In fact he swerved the car trying to dislodge her as she clung to the windscreen wiper.
"Tomlinson's actions changed everything for five innocent people: a couple who should be preparing for the arrival of their first child, teenagers who should be pursuing their university studies and a man who has lost his livelihood. I hope this sentence will enable them to start rebuilding their lives."
The incident was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the police involvement prior to the collisions. The IOPC directed that there should be a local investigation, which continues.
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