Grimsby teenager sentenced over 100mph police chase ending in crash

Footage showing the moment a car driven by a teenager crashed into a lorry at high speed while being pursued by police has been released.

Oliver Clark, 19, had sped along the A180 at up to 100mph after failing to stop for police in Cleethorpes in July.

The 19-year-old, of Weelsby Street, Grimsby, was in a coma for four days following the crash with the lorry.

At Grimsby Crown Court, he admitted dangerous driving and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years.

Humberside Police said Clark had failed to stop for officers in Cleethorpes on 4 July 2022 and had moved off at speed in the white Ford Fiesta.

PC Sean Hutchinson said: "Due to the dangerous manner of Clark's driving, it was not possible to immediately bring the pursuit to a safe resolution, as to do so could have risked endangering the lives of the officers engaged in the pursuit.

"Clark then drove at speeds in excess of 100mph up the Barnetby Top slip road and collided with the rear of a 32-tonne lorry which was also heading up the slip road."

Police officers rescued Clark from his vehicle following the smash, fearing the car would catch fire

The impact of the crash pushed the lorry off the road and it came to rest at the bottom of an embankment, PC Hutchinson said.

A police vehicle was also hit.

PC Hutchinson added that fearing Clark's car would catch fire, officers had "risked their own lives" to get him out of his car and provide first aid.

"Fortunately, the driver of the lorry escaped with minor injuries, as did the roads policing officer whose car was hit as Clark's car rebounded off the rear of the lorry," he said.

Clark is still recovering from his own injuries.

Passing sentence on Clark on Friday, Judge John Thackray KC told him he should consider himself "extremely fortunate", adding it was "pure chance" that neither he nor anyone else was killed in the crash.

In addition to the suspended prison sentence, Clark was banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended retest before he could get his licence back.