James Cheetham, 39, crashed into a wall after reaching speeds of 70mph during a police pursuit in South Cheshire. Dashcam footage shows him climbing out of the wrecked vehicle in Winterley before attempting to flee, but officers say he 'didn't get very far'.
Details of the incident
The incident occurred on December 21 last year when an officer attempted to stop a Peugeot 207, driven by Cheetham, on Crewe Road in Wheelock. Cheshire Police say it initially stopped, waited for the officer to exit, then sped off. At times Cheetham reached 70mph in a 30mph zone. The pursuit was short-lived and he crashed into a wall outside a property in Winterley.
Court outcome
Cheetham, of Alton Street, Crewe, tested positive for benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine) with a reading of 595ug/l, well above the legal limit of 50ug/l. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drug driving. At Chester Crown Court he received a 15-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Sergeant Martin Hilditch of Cheshire Police said: 'Cheetham knew he shouldn't have been driving after having cocaine in his system and attempted to outrun us. Thankfully, he didn't make it very far – although it is a miracle there were no pedestrians walking along the pavement at the moment he crashed, or the outcome could have been very different.' He added that before Cheetham can drive again, he must pass an extended test.
