DNA from a shoe left at the scene of a collision led police to an electric motorcycle rider who crashed into a car seconds after a police chase had been authorised. Officers had been granted permission to pursue two electric motorcycles being ridden dangerously in Spennymoor on February 25, 2026.
Pursuit and collision
The riders had been witnessed ignoring red lights and riding across pavements by motorcycle officers. But within seconds of the pursuit, one of the bikes collided with a car. The rider then ditched the bike and fled the scene on foot, leaving one of his shoes behind.
Identification and sentencing
The rider was identified as Taylor Sample by colleagues from Durham Constabulary's local Neighbourhood Policing Team, and a sample of DNA recovered from the abandoned shoe confirmed he was the rider who fled the scene.
Last month, the 23-year-old from Spennymoor pleaded guilty to all offences, including driving without insurance, failing to stop, and leaving the scene of a collision. He was handed a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, disqualified from driving for 12 months, and must pass an extended driving test.
