Blackpool taxi driver will never work again after dangerous driver - who previously smashed through a railway crossing - struck his cab and caused life changing injuries

A motorist who left a taxi driver on a ventilator and his passenger with a collapsed lung has been jailed for 40 months.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Daryll Truelove, 33, of Cleator Avenue, Blackpool, admits causing serious injury by dangerous driving to William Harnet and Terence Preston after driving up a one way street in his brother's Ford Transit can and ploughing into the taxi as he emerged from a junction onto Buchanan Street, Blackpool, on July 26, 2019.

Just weeks earlier, in April , Truelove risked the lives of rail users when he ploughed through the barriers of the Carleton level crossing as a train approached, causing £8,000 damage and leaving debris strewn on the track, which the train then struck. He went on to crash into a roundabout on Plymouth Road a mile later.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Preston Crown Court heard in the second incident, the collision propelled the cab into parked cars.

Crown CourtCrown Court
Crown Court

Taxi driver Terence Preston suffered fractures to his skull, back and ribs, and had to be put on a ventilator, which caused other difficulties including pneumonia, a leak of spinal fluid, and ear and urine infections.

He then had to undergo a tracheotomy due to difficulties weaning him off the ventilator and was left with weakness on one side of his body.

In a victim statement, he said it took him weeks to walk, and that he still suffered memory loss and dizzy spells.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was deaf in both ears for several months and now needs hearing aids, and he can no longer drive or work due to vision problems.

Truelove's brother was arrested and detained for the crime for 24 hours as the van was registered in his name, and Truelove only handed himself in a day later.

Imposing a two year and 20 month ban and extended retest, Judge David Potter said: " Once again you fled the scene, this time not returning.

"You yourself were injured. You were seen banging on windows of parked cars.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"You got in demanding to be taken to your mother's house. You were covered in blood and not even wearing a top."

Addressing him about the railway crash he added: " It goes without saying that crashing through a level crossing was an example of extremely dangerous driving. You placed yourself and railway users at risk of death or serious injury."

David Traynor, defending, described his client had a very sad background of going through IVF with his partner, only for their baby daughter to die at just a few hours old.

He said their relationship broke down, he lost his bricklaying business and his mental health deteriorated.

He told the court he was unlikely to see his mother again as she had been diagnosed with liver failure and had a life expectancy of around six months, and his father had been diagnosed with cancer.