Minsthorpe speed racer rampage shock
A SPEEDING driver ran into a firefighter and almost knocked over several college students on a morning rampage in South Elmsall.
Darren Hague, a firefighter based at Castleford fire station, had just dropped his son off at Minsthorpe Community College at 8.20am on Thursday, October 22, when he noticed a dark Land Rover driving at about 60mph along Ash Grove.
The car mounted the kerb several times, forcing students on their way to college to jump out of its path.
Mr Hague, of South Elmsall, used his car to block the junction to slow the driver down. He got out of his vehicle, but, shockingly, the man drove at him and hit him with the Land Rover. The car stopped as soon as it made contact with Mr Hague, and the driver then nudged the car forwards until the firefighter relented and moved aside. The Land Rover then sped off down Minsthorpe Lane.
Mr Hague, 43, said: "Hundreds of schoolchildren were milling around and this man was screeching up Ash Grove at 60mph. He was going through the traffic-calming islands as if they weren't there. The car mounted the kerb a few times and just missed some of the students.
"I stopped in the junction so he had to slow down but he just drove the Land Rover at me. He went straight at me and stopped just as he hit me with the car. Then he used it to push me out the way and drove off down Minsthorpe Lane towards South Kirkby.
"I wasn't injured, but it could have been so different with that many kids around. I couldn't believe it was happening and it is just lucky that nobody got hurt."
The man driving the Land Rover was in his early 20s, with light brown hair and pale skin.
PC Stewart Rae, of the South Kirkby Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT), said: "We received a report of someone driving erratically in a Land Rover around the college and it seems there has been a confrontation between the driver and a parent.
"It beggars belief that anyone can drive in this way around children and parents on their way to school. We urge anyone with any information to come forward."
Sue Johnson, Wakefield Council's service director for schools, said: "While we are not aware of this incident, we would remind people to drive with extra care near to our schools and any instances of illegal driving will be reported to the police."
Anyone with any information should call the NPT on 01924 295414.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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