Former Police Officer Jailed for Fatal Crash Despite Medical Warning to Stop Driving

A former detective chief inspector from Derbyshire Police has been imprisoned for causing a fatal road collision while driving despite having been instructed by medical professionals to stop driving a decade earlier. Michael Cooper, 55, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to three years and seven months after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The crash, which occurred in September 2021 in Etwall, claimed the life of educational psychologist James Bane, 50, and injured another woman.

The Collision and Immediate Aftermath

Cooper was operating an unmarked Peugeot 208 without authorization when the vehicle swerved while leaving Etwall Leisure Centre. The car struck two individuals standing near parked vehicles on Egginton Road. James Bane was crushed between two cars that were shunted together by the impact, sustaining fatal pelvic injuries. His colleague was thrown into the air by the force of the collision. Vehicle data revealed that Cooper's accelerator was fully depressed at the moment the car veered to one side.

In the immediate aftermath, Cooper exhibited confusion and told bystanders he was a painter and decorator, claiming not to know the identity of the prime minister. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. During subsequent police interviews, Cooper suggested he may have lost consciousness at the wheel but refused to grant officers access to his medical records.

The Medical History That Should Have Prevented the Incident

Court proceedings revealed that a neurologist had explicitly instructed Cooper to cease driving in 2009 and to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) due to episodes of spontaneous collapse occurring without warning. Despite this directive, Cooper did not inform the DVLA, his employer, or his car insurance provider of his medical condition. Prosecutor Samuel Skinner KC stated that Cooper should never have been behind the wheel of the police vehicle given his undisclosed history of blackouts.

In August 2024, Cooper was found to have committed gross misconduct in proceedings that would have resulted in his dismissal from the force. The conviction and sentencing have raised questions about police vetting procedures and the communication between medical professionals, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies regarding driver fitness and public safety.