‘US spy services’ driver ‘flees’ UK after crash that broke nurse’s ankles

An American citizen who was "working for the US Intelligence services" has fled the UK following a car crash which broke both a nurse's ankles and left her unable to walk. Issac Calderon was due to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Dec 1 charged with causing Elizabeth Donowho serious injury by dangerous driving in a collision in July. Mr Calderon, allegedly described as a flight risk by detectives, failed to turn up and West Mercia Police later said it believed the 22-year-old had boarded a commercial flight back to Houston, Texas, on Nov 25.

Ms Donowho said: "He could be anywhere in the world now, I do doubt that we will ever see him again." Radd Seiger, spokesman for Ms Donowho, said that Mr Calderon was "a fugitive on the run" and "must be returned to the UK without delay". Ms Donowho, of Malvern, Worcestershire, said she was left unable to walk for six weeks after the collision on the A4103 near Shucknall in Herefordshire on July 31.

The crash led to the 56-year-old suffering two broken ankles, a fractured sternum and a broken bone in her hand. The Telegraph understands that Ms Donowho was initially told by police that Mr Calderon was working for the US military and had visited the Special Air Service in Hereford. She is later understood to have been told, after Mr Calderon left the country, that he was believed to be working for US intelligence services.

The Hereford Times reported that during the court hearing on Dec 1, Mr Calderon was referred to as a "US soldier".

It has been claimed the case bears similarities to that of Anne Sacoolas[1], who was able to leave the UK as a result of her diplomatic immunity after killing teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn in August 2019 while driving on the wrong side of the road. Sacoolas pleaded guilty last year, via videolink at the Old Bailey, to causing death by careless driving. It is understood that there are no issues surrounding diplomatic immunity in Mr Calderon's case.

Police are believed to be in contact with Mr Calderon's solicitors. Mr Calderon was interviewed on Aug 15 by officers, 15 days after the initial crash, as he required immediate hospital treatment. He was served with a court summons and was not put on bail.

Ms Donowho said she was told in the aftermath of the crash that because the driver was American "he was a flight risk and they were working much more quickly than usual" to get him to court. "They cited the case of Anne Sacoolas and repeated that he was obviously a flight risk," she said. "They said they had spoken with our military police, who had then spoken with American military police who had guaranteed that he would stay in the country to face justice."

Asked if she had a message for Mr Calderon, she said: "I suspect he's quite frightened.

"I would say please make yourself known to the authorities closest to your location so that they can support you to do the right thing." Harry Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, told The Telegraph she was "outraged" that another US national had been able to leave the country before facing the courts. "I just cannot believe that the UK authorities have let down another one of its citizens.

It's unacceptable, it is totally unacceptable. "This country needs to completely and utterly ensure that they're not able to flee. Why did they not take his passport?

It's absolutely ridiculous." In a statement, West Mercia Police described Mr Calderon as an "American citizen who we understand was in the country on a work visa". A spokesman added: "Our inquiries have established that he left the UK on November 25 and flew to the United States.

"We are engaging with his solicitor to inform him of the warrant and the need for him to return to the UK. "We have also prepared appropriate paperwork should we need to request extradition, to ensure that the case can be heard in court." A US embassy spokeswoman said: "The US embassy does not comment on law enforcement matters involving private US citizens.

"The US and UK coordinate closely on law enforcement matters."

The Home Office said it would neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request had been made.

References

1. ^ similarities to that of Anne Sacoolas (www.telegraph.co.uk)