Driver Rams Officers Twice Before Fleeing Scene – Caught and Jailed
Cop Hits and Dangerous Getaway on Blue Bell Hill
In the early hours of 17 September 2020, three police officers on patrol spotted a suspicious Ford Kuga parked on Common Road, Blue Bell Hill. They stopped to speak with the driver, Eglant Lleshi, and a woman passenger. Suspecting they had drugs, officers detained the pair and moved the passenger from the vehicle.
Suddenly, Lleshi lost it. He revved up and reversed straight into one officer. Another cop trying to restrain him was also hurt after he slammed the door on her. Lleshi ran over the first officer a second time before peeling off in a reckless escape.
Cocaine Find and International Manhunt
Backup soon tracked down the abandoned Ford, two miles away. Hidden in the footwell were packets of cocaine worth between £1,000 and £2,000. Investigations proved Lleshi was involved in drug supply.
But Lleshi had skipped the country. A European Arrest Warrant was issued. He was finally arrested in Italy on 5 April 2023 and extradited back to the UK.
Jail Sentence and Driving Ban for Hit-and-Run Drug Dealer
Lleshi, 28, from Cairo Montenotte, Italy, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dangerous driving, and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
On 22 November, he was sentenced to five years and four months behind bars. He will also face a 25-month driving ban upon release.
Police React: ‘A Lucky Escape for Our Officers’
“This was an appalling incident and it is only by chance that we are not dealing with a fatality,” said Detective Constable Alex Peacock of Kent Police’s Major Crime Unit. “Lleshi showed total disregard for the safety of the officers he struck with his car, thinking only of evading justice.”
“He fled the country while the injured officers received medical help, one requiring ongoing treatment. Lleshi thought he had escaped arrest, but he underestimated Kent Police’s determination. He is now, quite rightly, serving a prison sentence.”
