Biden aide 'caused crash that trapped teenagers'

A PENTAGON aide who reports directly to President Joe Biden caused a crash that trapped two schoolboys in the debris of a wall, a court was told.

- Paul Jeeves

Col Benjamin Oakes' driving allegedly left the 15-year-olds with serious injuries near Ashville College, in Harrogate, North Yorks.

One screamed he thought he was "going to die" as he lay outside the school on February 2.

Oakes, 46, who was head of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff, yesterday denied two counts of causing injury by careless driving.

Louise Berry, prosecuting, said at York Magistrates' Court that Oakes was edging his Vauxhall Astra out of a junction when he clipped a Ford pick-up, causing it to hit the wall.