Driver, Ozgur Suyolcu
A man who fled police in Tunbridge Wells by driving at terrifyingly high speeds, narrowly avoiding hitting school children, has been jailed.
Ozgur Suyolcu had been disqualified from driving but reached speeds in excess of 115 mph, during a pursuit which also saw him collide with another car.
Officers from the Tunbridge Wells Community Policing Team (CPT) had attempted to stop a BMW on 28 January 2022, as part of enquiries into suspected drugs supply offences. Suyolcu was at the wheel and accelerated away, leading the officers on a chase through several residential roads near the town centre.
The 27-year-old ignored several red traffic signals and crossed onto the wrong side of the road in his bid to evade capture. Two school children were forced to run to safety in St James’ Road and his actions led to a collision with Land Rover in Pembury Road.
Officers were assisted by a police helicopter, as Suyolcu headed onto the A21 towards Sevenoaks, before he changed direction and travelled back on the coastbound carriageway. The vehicle was successfully tracked to an address he had been living at in Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood and Suyolcu was arrested. A search of the property led to the discovery of knuckledusters inside a chest of drawers.
Kent Police footage from the police helicopter
Suyolcu was charged with possession of an offensive weapon, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance or a licence. He pleaded guilty and on 12 January 2023 was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to a year in prison. He was also banned from driving for five and a half years.
CPT Sergeant Ed Kavanagh said: ‘Suyolcu drove with complete disregard and contempt for the safety of other road users and his thoughtless and reckless actions could easily have had devastating consequences. He used the BMW to drive at staggering speeds in crowded residential areas used by school children making their way home and other drivers had to take quick evasive actions to avoid being struck by his car. It is only by luck that no one was seriously injured.’