A DRUG-DRIVER armed with a knife was 'lucky' nobody was killed when he ran a number of cars off the road in a high-speed police chase.

One car was rammed out the way and as a result impaled by a fence when 26 year old Charlie Hawkins tried to evade police capture.

Shocking dash cam footage shows Hawkins, of Bannister Road in Burghfield Common, Reading, bulldoze his way between two cars on a narrow road in Burghfield on August 6, 2019.

Reading Chronicle:

As a result, the black Mini Cooper he was driving smashed into at least three vehicles causing significant damage when it happened about 9.15am.

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Reading Crown Court heard how Hawkins was spotted by officers driving dangerously in Goodboys lane, Burghfield, but failed to stop when officers attempted to pull him over.

Hawkins took off at speed and as the shocking dash cam footage shows forced other drivers off the road, before coming to a stop after smashing into another vehicle.

Reading Chronicle:

Pictures show fence posts impaled the windscreen of one car, narrowly missing an empty child seat, but completely destroying the vehicle.

Nobody was injured.

In a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, March 17, Hawkins admitted one count each of dangerous driving, driving while over the specified drug limit (cocaine and Benzoylecgonine), possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place and driving without insurance.

Reading Chronicle:

He was jailed for 16 months and given a driving disqualification for three years and eight months.

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Investigating officer PC Jamie Payne of the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing based at Three Mile Cross, said: “The manner of Hawkins’s driving was very dangerous, putting a number of other road users at great risk.

“As you can see from the photographs we are releasing, it was just pure luck that nobody was seriously hurt, or even killed.

Reading Chronicle:

“Thames Valley Police will never tolerate such reckless behaviour on our roads, and we will always look to bring offenders to justice.

“I am pleased that Hawkins has been sentenced to prison where he can reflect on his dangerous actions.”

The address in this article has been changed due to an update from Thames Valley Police