Hopes rise for crash-accused American's extradition

Elizabeth Donowho suffered multiple fractures in the crash, including breaks in both ankles, her right hand and sternum

A lawyer representing a woman seriously injured in a car crash has said he is hopeful that a US citizen charged over the incident will be extradited to the UK "sooner rather than later".

Elizabeth Donowho, 56, suffered multiple fractures, including breaks to both ankles, her right hand and sternum, in the crash near Shucknall, Herefordshire, in July 2023.

Issac Calderon, who has been charged by UK police with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, is facing extradition proceedings.

He appeared in court in Houston, Texas, on Monday and remains in custody, with Ms Donowho's legal representative, Radd Seiger, encouraged that Mr Calderon could soon return to the UK to hear the charge against him.

"Much will depend on what Mr Calderon decides to do," said Mr Seiger, whose client lives in Malvern, Worcestershire.

"If he doesn't defend the [extradition] request, there's no reason why he shouldn't be put on a plane immediately."

He said he now waited for Mr Calderon "to be returned to face our justice system", and "hopefully sooner rather than later".

Mr Calderon left the UK on a commercial flight to Texas on 25 November ahead of a scheduled UK court hearing the following month, which he did not attend.

He was 22 at the time of the crash.

Amid hopes of Mr Calderon's swift return, Mr Seiger nevertheless sounded a note of caution, saying "we're not getting ahead of ourselves".

He told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "If he seeks to defend [the request], there are many, many court hearings down the road, and we could potentially be at this for years."

But he said he could not think of a legal impediment to extradition in the circumstances, adding: "He doesn't, for instance, have diplomatic immunity."

Mr Seiger reiterated a comment he made on Monday, in which he said Mr Calderon was not guilty of the charge unless proven otherwise, but added: "What you don't get to do is run away."