US driver jailed after head-on crash which left nurse unable to walk

A US citizen who left the country after leaving a mental health nurse temporarily paralysed has been jailed after he was extradited.
Isaac Calderon, who was 22 at the time of the incident and is now 23, was sentenced on 7 November to 32 months in prison for causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Worcester Crown Court.
He appeared by video link to HMP Hewell.
In July 2023, nurse Elizabeth Donowho, from Malvern, suffered life changing injuries after he crashed into her, losing control of his Honda Accord car.
She suffered multiple fractures in the crash, including breaks in both ankles, her right hand and sternum and was left unable to walk for six weeks.
Ms Donowho, was a freelance nurse on her way home from working at a hospital in unit in Hereford.
Calderon crashed into the 57 year old’s Mercedes on the A14103 in Shucknall, Herefordshire.
Dashcam footage played inside court showed Calderon crashing head on into Ms Donowho’s car after he decided to overtake her at high speed.
After the incident, Calderon avoided justice by heading back to the US.
He left the UK on a commercial flight to Texas on 25 November ahead of a scheduled UK court hearing.
Police then issued a warrant for his arrest in December last year.
Calderon pleaded guilty to the offences last July.
The judge commented that a week before the accident, Calderon bought the car and was driving it uninsured.
He said: “It was the sort of driving one expects from arrogant young boy racers.
“This was an appalling piece of driving. You had held a driving licence for no more than a year.
“You were therefore on any view an inexperienced driver.
“You had not actually taken the trouble to familiarise yourself with solid white lines and what they mean, what they are there for.”
He continued: “Although you say you were doing ‘follow the leader’ the responsibility for this accident rests solely with you.”
The 23-year-old was also given a two year ban for his offences which he will serve after his release.
In a statement following the sentencing hearing, the Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS West Midlands said: “We worked closely with the US authorities to make sure our extradition request progressed swiftly so that Calderon was brought back to the UK to face the consequences of his actions.
“Those who commit offences in the UK cannot simply expect to walk away without accountability, and Calderon has now been brought to justice in a UK court where he has been sentenced for his crime.
“I hope that these convictions and the sentence today provides some level of closure for all affected by this case.”
A spokeperson for Elizabeth, Radd Seiger said, “Following the sentencing of Isaac Calderon today, Elizabeth is hugely relieved that her campaign for justice has succeeded and that Mr Calderon has at long last been held accountable for his terrible actions and dangerous driving which led to the crash.”
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