Lucky Mini driver escaped injury after paving slab thrown from Leeds bridge
Man aimed heavy concrete chunk at passing vehicle, but was released on time served
A driver had a lucky escape after paving slab was thrown from a bridge, striking the roof and windscreen of his car.
The chunk of concrete was hurled at the vehicle along the A58 inner ring road.
Tio Maximillian was found to have thrown the object during a trial of fact.
The 41-year-old was found he was too unwell to stand trial at the time, suffering from psychosis among other mental-health issues.
He was convicted of criminal damage reckless as to whether life was endangered and sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.
The Mini driver had been travelling along the A58 at around 1.20am on June 17, 2022, when he heard a “loud bang” as he passed under the bridge at Great George Street, prosecutor Philip Standfast told the court.
He pulled over and checked over his vehicle, seeing the roof had caved in and the windscreen was cracked.
The driver also walked back along the road and found the large chunk of concrete in the road.
Fortunately, an ambulance crew had noticed Maximillian acting bizarrely and had followed him. Police were quickly able to arrest him.
During his interview he made admissions but also made “irrational replies”.
He was detained on remand first in prison, then in hospital due to his condition.
Maximillian, of Wetherby Road, Roundhay, has 21 previous convictions for 44 offences, including robbery and ABH.
The court heard that having been detained and medicated, it was found that Maximillian had made progress. He has since been released from hospital.
No mitigation was offered in court after Judge Neil Clark said he would take a “wholly unusual” approach by not locking him up, despite saying the incident could have “harmed very badly” the driver.
He said that Maximillian had already served more time in prison and a secure hospital since the incident in 2022 than he would have imposed as a custodial sentence.
Instead, he gave him an 18-month community order with 15 rehabilitation days to complete with probation and a 12-month mental-health treatment requirement.