US man to return to face UK court over 2023 crash

A US man charged over a crash that left a nurse seriously injured is set to be brought back to the UK by police, her lawyer has said.

Elizabeth Donowho, from Malvern in Worcestershire, was left unable to walk for six weeks after being hit by a car Isac Calderon was driving in 2023.

The 23-year-old, from Texas, was previously charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, but left the UK before facing a court.

The BBC has now learned officers from West Mercia Police hope to travel to the US next month, after a judge there signed off on his extradition.

Mr Calderon was arrested after the crash on the A4103, near Shucknall in July 2023.

He later left the UK, on a commercial flight to Texas on 25 November, ahead of a scheduled court hearing that he did not attend the following month.

Now, the US Department of Justice has said officers from West Mercia Police can come and collect Mr Calderon.

He is expected to be arrested and presented to an available court in the UK next month.

Ms Donowho's lawyer Radd Seiger welcomed the news and said the 56-year-old continued to suffer physically and psychologically.

"This is as near to death as you can get," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"This is a very violent car crash and she survived by the skin of teeth, but it has left her with life changing injuries and she continues to cope with that every day."

Mr Seiger added his client was relieved at the extradition and keen to see the criminal case follow its ordinary course.

"The US has seen sense and realised it is important Mr Calderon should be returned to face the courts here," he said. "This is exactly how it's supposed to work."

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said the force could not comment on an active case while proceedings were ongoing.

Mr Seiger also represented the family of motorcyclist Harry Dunn, who died after his bike was hit by a car being driven on the wrong side of the road by Anne Sacoolas.

Sacoolas, also a US citizen, had just left RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire when the crash happened, in 2019.

The case led to a transatlantic row between the US and UK governments, after she left the UK without being brought to justice.

Three years later Sacoolas was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for a year.

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