Man sentenced after reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour while trying to evade dog handler
Main article content
A motorist has been sentenced after he reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour and drove dangerously while trying to evade a police dog handler.
On the afternoon of Monday 24 January 2022, Kyther Pargeter, aged 33 of Surrey Avenue in Cheltenham, reached speeds that were over double the speed limit during a police pursuit.
Dog handler PC Ben Smith was taking part in a patrol on Redmarley Road in the Battledown area of the Cheltenham when he spotted Pargeter driving while on his mobile phone.
PC Smith, who was formerly a Roads Policing Officer, stopped Pargeter and detained him by his vehicle while he checked his driving licence. But Pargeter fled, getting back into his car and driving away before PC Smith could reach him.
A pursuit ensued in which Pargeter drove through residential roads at dangerous speeds. At one point he was driving at 90 miles per hour in a 50 miles per hour zone.
Pargeter’s route took him through Whaddon Road, Cromwell Road, Mendip Road, Prestbury Road, Prestbury High Street, the B4632 Southam Road, B4632 Cheltenham Road towards Winchcombe and B4632 Toddington before he abandoned the vehicle in a housing estate and ran away.
Still refusing to stop for the officer, PC Smith finally had to use his Taser to bring the chase to a conclusion.
Pargeter was subsequently arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and released on police bail before later being postal charged with the motoring offence.
As part of the investigation it was never established why Pargeter drove off following what was a routine stop.
Pargeter appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Monday (3 July) where he was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and disqualified from driving for two years.
He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a rehabilitation requirement of 20 days and pay a fine of £156.
Following the sentencing PC Smith commented on Pargeter’s actions saying: "Kyther drove recklessly while trying to evade me and it is lucky that he didn’t cause any further harm.
"We are constantly risk assessing pursuits, which can dynamically change, and considering the safety of the public is at the forefront, Police Dog Arnie was in the car with me at the time and I also needed to consider his welfare due to the speeds Pargeter was travelling at.
"Pargeter showed a complete disregard for the safety of himself, his pet dog which was in his car and more importantly members of the public."