Distracted BMW Driver, Who Fled When His Car Smashed Newborn Baby, Gets 6.5 Years in Prison

A jury had sentenced a distracted BMW driver to 6.5 years in prison after trying to run away when he smashed his car and killed a newborn baby.

Although James Davis, 35, professed his innocence over the death of Ciaran Morris, 18 days old, the jurors of the Wolverhampton Crown Court determined that the distracted BMW driver had been driving dangerously in his unregistered vehicle.

According to the Evening Standard, Davis was on his phone when his car mounted onto the pavement and collided with another vehicle. The man claimed he blacked out and could not recall hitting the newborn baby on Easter Sunday last year. 

However, Davis was driving at 67 miles per hour and did not attempt to slow down before the collision. He also hid his mobile phone from the police for more than two months into the investigations.

Read Also: Middle School Students Attempted to Save Bus Driver Experiencing Medical Event While Driving 

Police Released CCTV Footage

Before the sentencing, the West Midlands Police in the U.K. released the CCTV footage of the incident. It showed the BMW driver hitting a car and then veering towards parents, Cameron and Codie Morris, who were walking with their newborn in a stroller. According to the Daily Mirror, Codie also suffered injuries to her collarbone, but the newborn Ciaran was severely injured and did not survive the crash. 

The video also showed that Davis got out of his car and ran away from the scene. However, the local police were able to locate and arrest him hours later at his girlfriend's house.

Davis said that he ran away because people were screaming at him. He claimed that he attempted to flag down the cops who arrived at the incident, but they did not notice him. The man also claimed that his friend, who was in the car, told him he "fainted behind the wheel" and then lost control of the car.

During the trial, Davis told the jury that he had a serious "coughing fit" that made him pass out. He said that it was the first time he had experienced such a terrible cough.

The BMW driver said he then went "starry-eyed" and heard "banging and stuff" before he allegedly lost consciousness. According to Birmingham Live, he woke up to the voices of the people who were screaming, "Get him! Get him!" 

Medical Episode Just a Fabrication

But the prosecutors told the jury that Davis was fabricating his medical episode. This was not his first court appearance as he had 35 previous driving offenses, including driving without insurance, drunk driving, vehicle theft, and drug dealing.

Meanwhile, Ciaran's parents, especially his mother, felt that they were not able to protect their newborn that day they took their son out for his first walk in public. Their lawyer said that Cameron and Codie would be missing a precious part of their family forever.

Related Article: Youthful Driving: Driver in Texas Car Crash Who Killed a Golf Team Was 13 Years Old