A shocking incident unfolded when a businessman was struck by a car after confronting a driver who had previously collided with his vehicle and then fled the scene. The businessman, Lee Holmes, found himself not only physically injured but also surprised by the police’s response to the situation.
Mr. Holmes, who is 53 years old and manages a residential lettings business, is also known for his past role as the chair of the South Tees Conservative Association. The incident began as he was traveling through Middlesbrough with his partner, when a red vehicle reversed twice into his car and then drove off. Determined to hold the driver accountable, Mr. Holmes followed the car, capturing the pursuit on his mobile phone.
When the red car finally halted at a street corner, Mr. Holmes instructed his partner to block the vehicle. With his phone still recording, he approached the car, expressing his frustration with explicit language. As he neared the driver, his anger was evident as he shouted, “You f***ing maniac.”
Suddenly, the engine of the red car roared back to life, and in a dramatic turn of events, the vehicle surged forward, hitting Mr. Holmes and knocking him to the ground. He cried out in pain as the car sped away, leaving him injured.
Despite providing video evidence of the altercation to the authorities, Mr. Holmes was informed by the police that no action could be taken, citing his use of offensive language during the confrontation as a reason. This unexpected outcome has left Mr. Holmes questioning the response of law enforcement in situations of road rage and reckless driving.
Approaching the vehicle, he screams: ‘You f***ing maniac.’ An engine can then be heard roaring to life with the red car smashing into Mr Holmes’s legs, causing him to crash to the ground and scream out in pain.
As the car screeches away with Mr Holmes sprawled on the ground, he yells: ‘You f***ing b*stard,’ and shouts to his partner: ‘Phone the police. Did you see that?’
But after providing footage of the incident and the car’s registration number to Cleveland Police, Mr Holmes says that he was left incensed after being told weeks later that they were closing the case for a number of reasons.
In the footage, Mr Holmes, 53, who runs a residential lettings business and is former chair of the South Tees Conservative Association, can be seen pursuing a red car
He then gets out his vehicle and confronts the driver – but is flung into the air
One of them stated: ‘The video of the incident also shows the driving of your partner, and your behaviour (shouting and swearing).’
Mr Holmes told the Daily Mail: ‘Of course I was shouting a swearing, who wouldn’t be in that situation. This man had twice rammed into our car and then tried to get away. I obviously wasn’t happy about this, and I wanted to ask him why he had behaved like this and get his insurance details.
‘I’m quite northern and quite sweary but that can’t be an excuse for not taking any action against this man. The police have all his details and they’ve done nothing.’
Mr Holmes, who has a degree in criminal law, went on: ‘A driver deliberately crashed into us and then tried to run me down. From my understanding, there’s a number of things the police could have charged him with. Instead, they’ve got a problem with me swearing and shouting, which is ridiculous.’
He said the incident took place in February and started after the other driver cut up the car he was in and then his partner beeped his horn in anger.
He said: ‘The next thing we know is that he stops and reverses into us. He then drives off and does it again seconds later. We didn’t know how much damage he had caused to our car so obviously we had to go after him to get his details and record his registration number.’
After being run down, Mr Holmes was left with a cut on his head and a bruised elbow and hip.
He added: ‘If I’d landed on my head I could have been seriously injured or even killed and I’m lucky that didn’t happen.’
Mr Holmes asked for a review of the decision to close the case as he is entitled to under the law, but this was rejected with the police claiming that it did not ‘meet the evidential threshold test.’
Lee Holmes said that he has now launched a civil action against the insurance company of the other driver and also reiterated calls for the police to reopen their investigation
After being run down, Mr Holmes was left with a cut on his head and a bruised elbow and hip
He added: ‘They’ve got video evidence and pictures of me injured and with damage to my car. I’m a retired tax inspector and former chair of the local Conservative Association who has over the years dealt with a number of government ministers.
‘I understand the importance of the law and I’m not the kind of person who makes things up. Yes, I was swearing and shouting but surely that’s understandable.’
Mr Holmes said that he has now launched a civil action against the insurance company of the other driver and also reiterated calls for the police to reopen their investigation.
Cleveland Police said in a statement: ‘Extensive enquiries were carried out as part of the investigation. A counter allegation was also made which was investigated.
‘It was deemed there was insufficient evidence to progress and the decision was made to close the case pending any further information.
‘This decision was reviewed internally and again through the Victims’ Right to Review process, and the decision was upheld. Complaints can be made via the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).’
