Teen's 95mph car flip crash left friend hurt

VICTIM LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM LIFELONG BACK PAIN

- By ESTHER HALLIGAN

A TEENAGER who reached 95mph on a winding lane crashed, leaving his passenger seriously injured.

Alex Carey had two friends in his Ford Fiesta, on the evening of March 6, as he headed towards Greatham on the A689.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the 18-year-old picked up his pals at Tesco and that he had been driving around the town for an hour, before meeting them.

When Carey turned on to Dalton Back Lane - a country lane between the A689 and the A19 - his friend, who was sitting in the back, became concerned that Carey had reached 80mph. Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said that with music blaring, Carey got up to 95mph and his car careered around a bend so fast, it left the road.

On the second bend, Mr Lonsdale said that Carey slowed down but he lost control of his vehicle. The car rolled three times and stopped in a muddy ditch.

Carey got out and told his pals that a "rabbit coming out on to the road" had caused the crash.

"Both passengers saw no rabbit, no swerving and thought they had come off the road because of his speed", Mr Lonsdale told the court.