Man jailed for dangerous driving after dramatic police chase in Northampton
Michael Chiedu Nwanze sentenced to 13 months for reckless road conduct
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after admitting to dangerous driving during a high-speed police chase in Northampton.
Michael Chiedu Nwanze was apprehended by officers in Abington Square, Northampton, on 10th March this year when the vehicle he was operating was flagged for having no insurance.
Despite being pulled over, Nwanze chose to flee, igniting a chase through Cheyne Walk, Bedford Road, and onto the A45, where police eventually halted him near Wellingborough.
During the pursuit, Nwanze ran multiple red lights, accelerated to 70mph in 40mph zones, and exceeded 100mph on the dual carriageway.
However, he was forced to stop when he encountered standstill traffic at the Wilby Way roundabout, resulting in collisions with several vehicles as he tried to evade officers.
His escape was thwarted when police boxed in his car, leading to his arrest.
Nwanze was charged with multiple offences, including driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and failing to stop for police.
Having pleaded guilty in April at Northampton Crown Court, Nwanze appeared at the same court in June for sentencing.
Lead investigator, PC Thomas Williams from Northamptonshire Police’s Roads Policing Team, said: “As you can see from the footage, Nwanze’s actions that day showed a complete disregard for the safety of other road users and pedestrians.
“During the pursuit, he drove at excessive speeds, ignored traffic signals and put countless people at risk in an attempt to avoid being stopped by officers.
“Dangerous driving of this nature can have devastating consequences, and it is only by good fortune that nobody was seriously injured as a result of his behaviour that day.
“We will continue to proactively target those who use our roads illegally and dangerously, and I hope this sentence sends a clear message that this type of offending will not be tolerated.”