Teenager admits dangerous driving after 180mph motorbike chase

Posted

1 December 2020

Sam Hewitt

A teenager has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after hitting speeds of 180mph on his motorbike during a 30-minute police chase.

Marian Vasilica Dragoi, 19, jumped red lights, mounted pavements and rode on the wrong side of the road in a bid to escape, the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers spotted his high-powered bike, with a false number plate, at around 9.20pm on May 20 in the Wood Green area of north London.

He hit speeds of 70mph in a 20mph zone and was clocked at 180mph on the M1 before he rode the wrong way along the motorway’s hard shoulder to refuel.

Dragoi, from Wood Green, was stopped on the forecourt of the petrol station and arrested.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving a motor vehicle without a licence and driving without insurance at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, according to the Met.

He faces sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court on January 14.

Arresting officer Sergeant Tony McGovern said: “At one point of the pursuit, Dragoi went straight through every single red light he was confronted with, rode on the wrong side of the road in his attempts to get away and even mounted pavements.

“Throughout the pursuit, he continued to ride in a dangerous manner, and he only had the National Police Air Service helicopter tracking him – without any police vehicles on the ground anywhere near him.

“He failed to stop for police and continued to put his own life and the lives of other road users, as well as innocent pedestrians, into serious danger.

“Our highly trained Operation Venice officers are out on the streets of London every day fighting moped, scooter and motorbike-enabled crimes and I hope this case acts as a deterrent to anyone considering to display such erratic behaviour on our roads.”