Bridlington man jailed after reckless overtake caused biker to suffer severe burns and lose a leg
A motorcyclist suffered “horrendous” burns and lost a leg after a Bridlington man’s reckless overtake caused a head-on crash, causing him to be “engulfed in flames” and throwing him off his bike.
The horror crash occurred in “thick, patchy” fog on the A165 Hunmanby Road in Filey where Bridlington man Ethan Hunt was driving a Vauxhall Corsa which overtook a car and drove straight into the path of the motorbike, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Michele Stuart-Lofthouse said that the victim – whose entire body was “on fire” – had just left his girlfriend’s house in Hull, and was riding his KTM Super Duke motorbike on the A165 at Reighton when the accident occurred at about 11.15pm on June 25, 2024.
Hunt’s car struck the oncoming motorcyclist who “saw a big, yellow flash caused by an exploding fuel tank”.
“He was thrown from his bike and into a ditch,” added Ms Stuart-Lofthouse.
“He could see his right leg was twisted and facing the wrong way.
“At this point, the (victim) realised his clothing was on fire. He pulled his helmet off and tried to extinguish the flames.”
As he did so, three young men got out of a taxi and went to his aid, possibly saving his life.
Hunt, 20, of Sewerby Road, was brought in for questioning the day after the accident and told officers he saw a “big, flashing light literally come out of nowhere”.
He was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and admitted the offence.
He appeared for sentence on Monday, March 16.
The prosecution read out a statement from the victim who said: “If it hadn’t been for three young men who stopped in a taxi, I wouldn’t be here today.”
He said he “relived the accident every single day” and that the accident has “shattered” his life.
Defence barrister Susannah Proctor said that Hunt had only been driving for a few months when the accident occurred.
She said he was remorseful for his “dangerous manoeuvre” which had caused “life-changing injuries” and was now suffering from depression and possibly post-traumatic stress disorder.
She said he was otherwise a “courteous, reliable, hard-working young man” who was doing an apprenticeship and wouldn’t cope well in prison due to mental-health issues.
Hunt was jailed for two-and-a-half years but was told he would serve less than half of that behind bars before being released on prison licence.
He was given a 39-month driving ban, which effectively means he will be off the roads for two years upon his release from jail.
He would have to take an extended re-test before he was allowed to drive again.