Jail over chase that hurt two officers

Fiona Evans

A MAN who led police on a 10-mile pursuit and injured two officers as they tried to stop him has been jailed for nine months.

A judge was yesterday shown a 14-minute police recording of the late-night chase between Halifax and Bradford in June which involved speeds of up to 90mph and only ended when a police car forced Daniel Tarandij’s vehicle into a grass verge.

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Prosecutor Clare Larton told Bradford Crown Court the incident began near Southowram Cricket Club when Tarandij, who was driving a Volkswagen Golf, failed to stop for a patrol car.

The police recording showed the Golf driving at speed through residential areas before heading down a dirt track with the patrol car in pursuit.

Miss Larton said Tarandij drove over traffic calming measures to get out of a dead-end road and avoided a stinger device deployed to stop him.

On one 30mph stretch the Golf reached 90mph and as he headed towards the Whitehall Road area of Wyke, near Bradford, other police cars tried to to box the vehicle in.

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One officer described how Tarandij deliberately rammed the rear of a police car which had pulled in front of him before reversing into the one behind in order to force his way out.

Tarandij then hit another police car before being forced onto the grass verge. One police officer suffered a whiplash injury while another had cuts and bruises.

Tarandij, of Cromwell Road, Southowram, was said to have failed to stop for the police because he feared he might be over the drink-drive limit, but tests showed he was below it.

Tarandij, 29, admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop for a road traffic officer and yesterday Recorder Michael Smith said it was almost miraculous that no one was seriously hurt.

Tarandij was banned from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended test before driving again.

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