“You drove like an arrogant young racer,” said American judge, who fled England after crash

He failed to appear before Kidderminster magistrates court in November 2023 and an arrest warrant was issued for him. in december but he was already back in Texas.

Court documents filed in Texas in early 2024 showed that Calderon admitted during a police interview that he was unfamiliar with driving a manual transmission, did not understand British road signs and that his driving was “absolutely unsafe”.

He later asked police to tell the nurse he was “really sorry” and also admitted he had been vaping in the car before the crash.

The judge, who also gave Calderon a two-year driving ban to be imposed after his release, told him: “You have not had a driving license for more than a year.

“So you were an inexperienced driver in every respect. You hadn’t actually bothered getting used to the solid white lines, what they meant, what they were there for.

“Even if you say you follow the leader, the responsibility for this accident lies entirely with you.

“It was your hands holding the steering wheel. It was your foot on the accelerator and your mind that decided to perform these dangerous manoeuvres.

“It’s disturbing that instead of attending that first (magistrate court) appointment, instead of facing the music, you chose to return to America.

“Other people were clearly aware of road conditions and safe driving. You chose to do the exact opposite.”

Miss Donowho, 56, who was returning home from working in a hospital unit in Hereford, suffered multiple fractures during the collision, including to both ankles, her sternum and her right hand.

While the nurse had not yet returned to work, Calderon suffered a broken arm and a concussion.

The accident, which occurred on a wet road surface in an area with speeds of 50 miles per hour, was recorded on the front and rear cameras of a minibus.

Prosecutor Simon Phillips told the court a witness estimated Calderon’s speed at around 70mph and feared he was “going to kill himself or someone else”.