A driver revved his engine before hitting a pony instructor in front of horrified children.
Dangerous driver Jack David Brown nearly killed the woman as she chaperoned a group of kids riding ponies near a rural village.
The 27-year-old tried to claim the instructor, a woman in her fifties, had "thrown herself" at his car when she was knocked backwards breaking her spine in the collision in Hunton, North Yorkshire, in January last year.
But in reality he had been driving the Ford pick-up truck too fast, ignoring the woman's gestures at him to slow down, before hitting her and driving off.
Brown, who was jailed this week after admitting causing injury by dangerous driving, was heading home on the afternoon of Saturday, January 15, 2022, when he struck the victim.
A court heard she had been walking behind the group of youngsters riding ponies when she noticed him driving too fast, and stepped out into the road waving her arms at him in fear his loud engine would spook the animals and cause an accident.
But instead of applying the brakes, Brown instead revved his engine, prompting the woman to step back.
He then drove towards her, hitting her with his truck and causing her to fall backwards, before fleeing the scene and driving home.
The victim was rushed to hospital where she was treated for a broken vertebra.
Brown later denied dangerous driving, telling police the woman had stepped out in front of his truck, but pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Teesside Crown court ahead of his trial.
He also admitted careless driving and breaching a restraining order.
A judge jailed Brown for two years and eight months on Wednesday, while issuing a hefty 10-year driving ban.
PC Mike McVay, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “Only responsible and safe drivers should have a driving license.
“This is a privilege that has rightly been taken away from Jack Brown for a considerable time, as well as his liberty while he serves his prison sentence.
“His aggressive and dangerous driving caused serious injury to the victim.
“He also could so easily have placed the three children, the ponies and the other person who was with the group at great risk of injury or worse.
“I hope he and other drivers learn from this incident and the outcome at court. Dangerous driving will not be tolerated on our roads.”
