A 24-year-old man has been jailed for 21 months after ramming a police car during a traffic stop in Huddersfield, causing $8,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.
Karam Tofeek, from Bradford, England, was driving a grey BMW X5 along Leeds Road in Bradley, Huddersfield, on 23 July 2026, when officers stopped him on suspicion that his vehicle was uninsured.
According to West Yorkshire Police, he initially pulled over but refused to switch off the car’s engine. The incident then escalated when he drove into the police vehicle positioned in front of him.
West Yorkshire Police highlighted the seriousness of the incident, in which a routine traffic stop escalated into a collision that caused substantial damage to their police car.
Two Officers Were Inside Police Car
Two police officers were inside the marked vehicle when the collision occurred. Neither officer suffered injuries, although the impact caused significant damage to the police car.
Tofeek appeared at Leeds Crown Court, where he was found guilty of dangerous driving following a trial on 16 September.
Police have not provided further details explaining the motive behind why he drove into the vehicle or whether the suspected insurance offense was separately established.
Driver Handed Prison Sentence and Driving Ban
In addition to his 21-month jail sentence, he was also disqualified from driving for three years and seven months and ordered to pay a fine of $248.
The sentence follows an incident that could have resulted in serious injuries to the police officers, given that two were inside the police vehicle when it was struck.
Although neither officer was injured, the court proceedings have resulted in a custodial sentence and an extended driving ban for Tofeek.
Sergeant Andrew Johnson said: “Two officers were put in an extremely dangerous situation when the defendant rammed their police vehicle. Thankfully, neither was seriously injured, but this incident highlights the very real risks our officers face every day.”