A 66-year-old grandfather who struck and killed a pedestrian in West Bromwich before fleeing the scene because he was “upset” has been jailed for 14 months. Gladwyn Alleyne, of Bassett Road, Wednesbury, was driving a black Mitsubishi 4x4 when he hit Jason Hicks, 44, on the A41 Birmingham Road at approximately 9pm on October 5, 2024.
Mr Hicks had “almost reached the safety of the pavement” when he was struck at over 40mph. He was “flung into the air” and crashed to the ground, with witnesses rushing to help. CCTV captured Alleyne stepping out of his vehicle, walking up to his victim, and then running off. He abandoned his car and later told officers he was too “upset” to remain at the scene after witnessing the injured victim's body.
Speed and Collision Details
Wolverhampton Crown Court was told that had Alleyne adhered to the 30mph speed limit, Mr Hicks would have had two additional seconds to safely cross the road and would not have died. An inquiry determined that Alleyne was driving at between 42mph and 49mph in the moments before the collision, and at a “minimum speed of 42mph” at the “point of collision”.
Prosecutor Sarah Slater said that if Alleyne had been travelling at the speed limit “during the 5.7 seconds that Mr Hicks was in the carriageway”, the victim “would have had over two further seconds to cross the carriageway”. She continued: “He would have, therefore, safely crossed the carriageway and on to the footpath.”
Witnesses and Emergency Response
An eyewitness at a nearby BP petrol station heard a “loud bang” and went to provide medical assistance before shouting to his partner to dial 999. The witness noted down the Mitsubishi's number plate, which enabled officers to track down the motorist. A police officer at the petrol station saw the victim “lying face down” on the pavement, with blood pouring from his head, nose and ear. His breathing was “ragged”, he seemed unconscious, and his pulse was weak. She began CPR while on the phone to an emergency call handler.
Mr Hicks sustained a “severe traumatic brain injury” which resulted in cardiac arrest. Despite emergency services providing advanced life support at the scene, he was declared dead at 9.22pm. A post-mortem examination revealed he had also sustained fractured legs, along with bruising and grazing.
Arrest and Sentencing
Police found the Mitsubishi nearby half on the pavement at 9.45pm, with front nearside damage and the glass and silver trim missing from the main headlight. Alleyne was arrested the following day, with officers discovering the Mitsubishi keys in his jacket. In his police interview, he said Mr Hicks had run out in front of him and that he was travelling at around 30mph. He told police he fled the scene when he “saw the blood because it upset him”.
The court heard Alleyne had prior convictions for driving offences dating back to 2004, including drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. In 2025, he appeared in court for resisting a constable, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, and driving without a test certificate. Danae Larham, representing the defendant, told the court that self-employed welder Alleyne is battling prostate cancer, as well as mental health difficulties “arising out of the incident”.
Judge Michael Chambers KC noted that “although it would have been dark”, there was “good” street lighting, alongside illumination from the BP petrol station. He stated: “The cause of this collision was speed. You have been assessed as driving at some 42mph. That clearly was grossly excessive and significant.” Regarding Alleyne's decision to flee, he remarked: “By leaving the scene, you frustrated the testing of you for alcohol and you must have known that and that, in my judgement, is a grossly aggravating factor.”
Alleyne admitted causing death by careless driving, failing to stop after a road traffic collision, and failing to report a road traffic collision. He was handed a 14-month prison sentence on Friday, October 30, and was additionally disqualified from driving for two years and seven months.
