Jason Levy a drunken driver who hit speeds of 130mph (Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
A trainee bus driver who roared his BMW drunk down a motorway at 130mph, crashed and had to be restrained by six officers has walked free – claiming he felt suicidal on the anniversary of his mum’s death.
Jason Levy, 26, filmed himself at the wheel travelling at almost twice the 70mph limit before he ploughed into the central reservation causing his car to roll on to its roof and told a passing Good Samaritan to “f*** off!”
Chester Magistrates’ Court heard after clambering from the mangled wreckage Levy, of Leastowe, near Birkenhead, on the Wirral, began ”dancing” around in traffic on the M53 near Hoole, Chester, then kicked and punched other cars.
It took six police offers and two paramedics to restrain him using pepper spray to overpower him. Tests showed he was almost twice the alcohol limit and he caused £3,800 of damage to passing cars that slowed down to help.
The father-of-two – due to start work as a bus driver for Stagecoach until this incident – admitted dangerous driving, drink driving, drug driving, wilful obstruction of a highway, using threatening behaviour and criminal damage.
But despite the seriousness of the string of charges, magistrates let him walk free from court with a 12-month suspended sentence after hearing he was feeling suicidal at the time on the first anniversary of his mother’s death.
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Levy’s late mother Donna who passed away a year before the incident (Image: Jason Levy/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
He was said to be ”genuinely remorseful” wanted to pay compensation to everybody whose car had been damaged.
Levy was ordered to complete a 12 months of mental health treatment and 25 rehabilitation activity days.
JPs ordered he also pay £832.32, £2,811.55 and £150 to the three motorists whose cars he damaged. He was banned from driving for three years.
JP Mark Johns said: “Your actions after the crash were incomprehensible and it took six police officers and two paramedics to restrain you – but we have listened very carefully to the wealth of very strong personal mitigation.”
The court heard around 10.30pm on Sunday August 18th 2024, Levy was seen driving a blue BMW 218 on the M53 motorway at “recklessly” high speed.
Prosecutor Scott Woodward said: “The defendant then crashed between junctions 11 and 12 of the motorway. He hit the central reservation and his vehicle rolled a number of times before coming to rest on its roof.
“One witness described seeing the defendant as acting oddly, waving his arms around and laughing, slowing the traffic.
“A witness stopped to help. On the driver’s side he could not open the door. The defendant said ‘F*** off.’ He was concerned the defendant may have been drinking or taking drugs.
“Another member of the public saw the defendant dancing around the vehicles, trying to punch and kick them. As he slowed he tried to pass him.
“At approximately 10.35pm an officer attended the scene. He stopped near the BMW which was on its roof. He saw the defendant standing between lanes 1 and 2.
“He appeared to be covered in blood. He was not making any sense. Another officer arrived. He was backing away and he fired the taser with no effect. He discharged it a second time and again no effect.
“The defendant started to run towards junction 12. The officers ran after him. They used pepper spray and eventually the defendant was handcuffed.
“It took six police officers and two paramedics to detain him. When police downloaded the defendant’s phone there was a video on that which showed him recording driving at 130mph just before the crash.”
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Tests showed namely 139 milligrames of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80mg.
Kirsty Ruddin, defending, said her client had cared for his poorly mother from his youth and he was traumatised when he and his father Cedric found her dead in August 2023.
She added: “This is a sad case for a young man who at the time was going through a mental breakdown. It was the first anniversary of his mother’s death. He has been left with scars from that day.
“Earlier he called 111 and was seeking help. He felt he was in crisis and he did not know what to do. He did go to the local police station, unfortunately it was not manned.
“He made the fateful decision to drive at what he thought was a quiet time of night. He did not really think it would impact anyone. He just wanted to end his own life.”