US Soldier to Face UK Justice: Extradition Approved in Hit-and-Run Case
US authorities approve extradition of soldier Issac Calderon to UK for dangerous driving trial. Nurse Elizabeth Donowho left seriously injured in 2023 crash. West Mercia Police to collect Calderon from Texas.
Issac Calderon, a US soldier charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, is set to be extradited from America to the UK next month. The 23-year-old fled to Texas following a car crash that left a British nurse unable to walk for six weeks.
The incident occurred on July 31, 2023, on the A4103 near Shucknall, Herefordshire. Elizabeth Donowho, a 56-year-old nurse from Malvern, Worcestershire, suffered severe injuries in the collision, including two broken ankles, a fractured sternum, and a broken bone in her hand.
Calderon, who was reportedly working for the US military and had visited the Special Air Service (SAS) headquarters in Hereford, failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court in December 2023. West Mercia Police later revealed that he had boarded a commercial flight back to Houston, Texas, days before the hearing.
"They cited the case of Anne Sacoolas and repeated that he was obviously a flight risk. They said they had spoken with our military police, who had then spoken with American military police who had guaranteed that he would stay in the country to face justice."
Journalists tracked Calderon to his parents' house in Humble, Texas, this summer, leading to an extradition request being filed in the state. According to recent reports, US authorities have approved the extradition, with West Mercia Police expected to "collect" Calderon from Texas in early October 2024.
This case has drawn comparisons to the Anne Sacoolas incident, which involved the death of British teenager Harry Dunn in a road traffic collision in England in 2019. However, it's important to note that unlike the Sacoolas case, there are no issues surrounding diplomatic immunity in Calderon's situation.
The extradition process between the US and UK is governed by a bilateral treaty signed in 2003, reflecting the long-standing military cooperation and legal agreements between the two nations. This case highlights the complexities of international law enforcement and the challenges faced when individuals attempt to evade justice across borders.
As the extradition date approaches, the focus now turns to the impending legal proceedings in the UK and the potential for justice for Elizabeth Donowho, who has endured significant physical and emotional trauma as a result of the crash.
