The impatient driver undertook another vehicle and lost control
Dangerous driver Dovydas Juras(Image: Hull Live)
A reckless driver who impatiently undertook and tried to get past another car left two pedestrians hurt – one of them seriously – after his vehicle suddenly turned over and hit them. The main victim suffered “awful” injuries including bone fractures during the “terrible” collision and he felt “totally destroyed”.
The other man now struggled with simple tasks and he suffered “low moods” and a poor memory, Hull Crown Court heard. Dovydas Juras, 29, of De La Pole Avenue, off Spring Bank West, Hull, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and an offence of assault causing actual bodily harm, on July 2, 2024.
Billy Torbett, prosecuting, said that the incident happened in Spring Bank after Juras undertook another vehicle and tried to get in front of it but, in doing that, he lost control of his car and it turned over. Two men who were walking along the street were hit.
One of them suffered serious injuries, including fractures to his pelvis, skull, ribs area, shoulder and lower back as well as a torn spleen. He was in hospital for just over a month.
He later said that the collision affected him quite badly and he could not now live pain-free. He could not walk or sit for long periods of time.
The man used to play football with his mates but he could not now do so. “I am totally destroyed by this incident,” he said. “I get angry quite quickly.”
The other man also went to Hull Royal Infirmary and he had a CT scan but he suffered no fractures or bleeding. He was discharged without further treatment but later said that, as a result of the incident, he had a very poor memory.
He suffered with simple tasks like getting a drink of water and his poor memory affected his daily life and routine. He quickly forgot whatever it was that he had earlier wanted to do.
“It causes me to have low moods,” he said. Juras had one previous conviction for drink-driving in March 2022, when he was banned from driving for 22 months.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Juras had shown deep remorse and regret about the incident. “This is a defendant who instantly realised the impact of what happened and felt dreadful about it,” said Miss Scott.
“He tried to assist at the scene.” A nurse who was nearby at the time told him not to move the victims as it could cause further serious injuries but he stayed with the two men.
“He has accepted from the outset that he caused those awful injuries,” said Miss Scott. “He just feels awful about what’s happened.”
There was no evidence that Juras was driving over the 30mph limit at the time, although the undertaking looked “terrible” on CCTV pictures. He was a hard-working man and he had a seven-year-old daughter.
Judge John Thackray KC told Juras: “Your driving was disgraceful on the day in question. Whatever the precise speed you were driving at, it was too fast for the circumstances.
“You were undertaking another car and were trying to get in front of it. All of that was completely unnecessary. The car turned over and collided with two completely innocent victims.
“It could so easily have been a fatal injury. Your victim may never fully recover. The other victim also received injuries, although less serious.
“Both victims were pedestrians. You have shown genuine remorse and you have kept out of trouble in the meantime.”
Juras was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and 250 hours’ unpaid work. He was banned from driving for two years and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again. He was ordered to pay £150 costs.
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