Stolen truck man jailed after breaking man’s leg in Padiham and crashing on M65

Mark Hill (24) of York Street, Church, appeared at Burnley Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and receiving stolen goods.

Hill admitted crashing the Skania truck, which had been stolen from West Yorkshire, into a parked van in Mill Street, Padiham, around 11am on December 16th last year. The impact caused a sliding door on the parked van to close snapping the driver’s leg in two places.

Officers then followed Hill as he drove dangerously onto the M65 towards Colne. He then lost control of the truck and tipped over in the carriageway. Despite injuries to his leg and hip, Hill ran off but was arrested nearby.

DC Melissa Kelly from Burnley CID said: “Hill put members of the public at risk from his dangerous and careless driving. His actions caused a severe injury to another driver who has been traumatised by the ordeal.

“Despite his injury, Hill still tried to escape from the police and I hope this sentence acts as a warning to offenders that the police will do everything within their power to pursue offenders and put them before the courts.”