Danger driver only stopped after ploughing into bus

A danger driver who sped from police at up to 80mph ploughed head-on into a bus while making his getaway on the wrong side of a Sunderland dual carriageway.

Dalton Chisholm’s terrifying antics as he powered out of South Tyneside twice forced officers to give up the chase due to safety fears for other motorists.

Chisholm, 23, of Wiltshire Road, Witherwack, Sunderland, was only stopped when he struck the front of a bus moving towards him in Newcastle Road at Fulwell Mill.

It ended an estimated four-mile chase that started when police spotted his Suzuki Vitara in Prince Edward Road, South Shields, at 8.30pm on Saturday, April 29.

The vehicle was wanted in connection with a suspected arson several days earlier, prosecutor Paul Coulson told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Chisholm, who has become a father since his arrest, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving – and faces up to two years behind bars when sentenced in January.

Mr Coulson said: "Police on mobile patrol received intelligence that a Suzuki, suspected of being at the scene of an arson, was in the area.

"It was sighted going in the opposite direction at speed along Prince Edward Road, so the police turned around, illuminating their lights.

"It approached Sunderland Road at 80mph and then went towards the A1018 at Temple Park.

"The chase was aborted due to serious concerns about the risk to the public.

"The chase was resumed, and the defendant was followed onto the southbound Newcastle Road, towards Fulwell Mill.

"He drove contraflow, on the wrong side of the road and into oncoming traffic, and again the chase was aborted.

"Officers did note that it carried on in a dangerous manner and then came to a stop when it was blocked by a bus coming along Newcastle Road, towards Fulwell Mill.

"It struck the vehicle. It was really the bus that stopped it. The defendant took the deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road."

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Chisholm was now a dad and not proud of his criminal actions.

Magistrates imposed an interim driving ban on Chisholm and granted him unconditional bail to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday, January 19.