Man who crashed Ferrari at over 100mph causing serious injuries jailed

Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Wednesday, 22nd January 2025, at 21:00hrs

A three-week-old baby suffered life changing injuries in the collision

A 35-year-old man has been jailed for causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Runcorn.

Daniel Halliwell, from Hatters Close, Daresbury appeared at Chester Crown Court on 21 January to be sentenced after pleading guilty at a previous hearing.

He was sentenced to 32 months in prison, and disqualified from driving for five years, with an extension period of 18 months. He will have to undergo an extended test. He was also ordered to pay a £228 surcharge.

In a statement released after sentencing, Cheshire Police said:

“At 5.05pm on Friday 21 July 2023 a dark grey Ford Fiesta and a dark grey Ferrari collided on the A558 Daresbury Expressway at its junction with Daresbury Manor Park Avenue. The Ferrari was traveling from the Mersey Gateway direction and the Fiesta was joining the carriageway from Manor Park Avenue.

At the time, Halliwell and a 3-week-old baby from the Fiesta were taken to hospital in a serious condition. While Halliwell has made a recovery the baby was left with life changing injuries.

As part of the investigation into the crash, forensic collision investigators established from the tyre marks alone that the Ferrari was travelling at speeds of 102mph to 111mph and an expert witness viewing dash cam footage estimated the speed at some point to be even faster, between 129mph to 136mph. The speed limit on that carriageway is 60mph.

Sgt Andy Dennison said: “This was shocking driving behaviour which could only have ended in tragedy. Witnesses described Halliwell’s manner of driving as fast, intimidating and frightening.

“At some point he lost control of the car and he then collided with a mother and her three-week-old baby. The baby ended up in hospital in a critical condition and is still suffering the consequences of Halliwell’s reckless behaviour that day.

“I genuinely don’t know how anyone could think driving at such speeds and so recklessly among busy traffic could not have been so dangerous to others, himself and his passenger.”