Man jailed after fleeing police and driving dangerously in Stafford
Matthew Mark Stevens has been jailed for 19 months
A man has been jailed for 19 months after abandoning a stolen car in a police pursuit, and driving dangerously whilst disqualified in Stafford.
24-year-old Matthew Mark Stevens, from Bentilee, fled from police by driving off-road and going at over 80mph before crashing into another car.
He pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle dangerously, driving whilst disqualified and aggravated vehicle taking at Stoke-on-Trent Crown court on Tuesday (28th October).
A Staffordshire police spokesperson said, "Matthew Mark Stevens, 24, from Bentilee, was behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Crossland when he failed to stop for officers from our road crime team (RCT) on the A34 between Stone and Stafford on Wednesday 25 June this year.
"Stevens drove down rural lanes and made an abrupt U-turn on a farm track before driving off-road to evade police vehicles.
"The Vauxhall was pursued onto the A51 where it turned left towards Stone before going right onto Hilderstone Road.
"After travelling for around two miles at more than 80mph and dangerously overtaking other vehicles it collided with the side of an Audi Q3, causing the airbags to deploy and extensive damage to both cars.
"Thankfully, the female driver of the Audi did not suffer life threatening or life-changing injuries.
"Stevens and a single passenger in the Crossland left the vehicle and ran off across farmland.
"A blue jacket and mobile phone recovered from a hedgerow near to the last sighting of the suspects and positive identification by our officers meant Stevens was later arrested and charged."