A MAN has appeared in court accused of crashing a stolen car - which fell from a flyover onto the A1(M) below and left a woman critically ill in hospital.

Hugh Raymond Holmes, of York Hill Road, Spennymoor, faced charges of aggravated vehicle taking, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, causing serious injury whilst disqualified from driving, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a specimen of breath.

The 32-year-old entered no pleas when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Read more: Spennymoor man charged for flyover crash onto A1(M) Bowburn

The charges relate to a collision on Friday morning, when a red Vauxhall Astra was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the A177 flyover at the Junction 61 Bowburn Interchange roundabout.

It then crashed through the safety barriers and fell off the roundabout and landed on its roof, in the central reservation of the motorway below.

The Northern Echo:

Emergency services were called to the scene, at approximately 10.35am on Friday.

Police confirmed that a woman in her mid-40s suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital where she remains in a critical condition.

The road was closed until the following morning to allow accident investigators to examine the scene and for the safety barriers to be repaired.

The court heard that the injured woman was Mr Holmes' partner and the car had belonged to her son.

Prosecutor Ian Martin said she had suffered "serious, life-changing if not life-ending" injuries.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction of the case and sent it to Durham Crown Court.

Mr Holmes was remanded into custody until his next court appearance which will be at Durham, on February 21.

Durham police continue to investigate the collision.

Detective Constable Natalie Horner, of Durham Constabulary, said: “We would like to thank the public for their support and patience whilst we dealt with this incident.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 105 of January 21.

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