'Lunatic' drink driver jailed after ramming police car

Luciano Urbano had turned into a cul-de-sac in a Toyota Yaris he claimed to have "borrowed" from a friend when disaster struck, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The 29-year-old father-of-three knew he was over the alcohol limit and accelerated away when told to stop after being seen going round the wrong side of a bollard in Henderson Road, Rowley Regis, at 2.45am on June 30.

The Yaris went through a red light and sped down Waterfall Lane before turning into Grange Road, explained Ms Caroline Harris.

Pc Jason Brown knew this was a circular cul-de-sac and thought the driver was likely to abandon the car and run away.

The officer slowed to a crawl and undid his seat belt so he could get out as quickly as possible to prevent him fleeing on foot and explained to the court: "Seconds later I saw the car at speed on the wrong side of the road coming straight at me.

"It was travelling at over 30mph and I was doing about 10mph. I thought I was going to die."

The impact threw him forward from his seat and his head collided with the metal bracket holding the sun visor but did not realise he was bleeding heavily from the nasty wound until after he had got out of the First Response vehicle and arrested the defendant. He needed five stitches.

Eye witness Ms Edith Eves said: "The car was going too fast, on the wrong side of the road, made no attempt to slow down and went head first into the police car.

"I saw the police officer get out of his car holding his head."

Urbano, from Birch Drive, Cradley Heath denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving but the jury took just 33 minutes to convict him.

They did not know he had already admitted drink driving and driving while disqualified.

The defendant, who had previous convictions involving 30 separate offences, was jailed by Judge James Burbidge QC who said: "You drove like a lunatic."