Hit-and-Run Driver Sentenced After Cyclist Suffers Severe Injuries

A hit-and-run driver has been sentenced to four years in prison after leaving a cyclist with devastating injuries that may affect her for life. Sheeba Bukuru, 32, struck the victim while dangerously overtaking a vehicle on November 24, 2022, at approximately 18:20. The incident occurred on Fulbourn Road in Cambridge, where the cyclist was crossing the road when Bukuru collided with her from the wrong side of a “keep left” bollard.

After the collision, Bukuru fled the scene in his black BMW, abandoning the injured cyclist, who was left bleeding and unconscious on the ground. Emergency services transported the victim to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where she endured months of treatment for severe injuries, including a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain, a broken pelvis, and several other serious injuries.

Fifteen minutes post-collision, Bukuru contacted the police to report that his vehicle had been stolen at knifepoint. He claimed that a man had threatened him and taken his car. However, investigators found the abandoned BMW in Limekiln Road, which was several streets away from the incident. The vehicle exhibited damage consistent with the crash, and eyewitnesses confirmed the details of the event.

When police arrested Bukuru later that evening at 23:20, they discovered the key to the BMW in his bag. His initial story of robbery quickly unraveled once confronted with the evidence. Last month, Bukuru pleaded guilty to charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop, and perverting the course of justice.

At Cambridge Crown Court on August 11, he received a four-year prison sentence along with a five-year ban from driving. The case drew significant attention from law enforcement, and DC Fay Millen from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit emphasized the profound consequences of Bukuru’s reckless actions.

“Bukuru’s decision to perform a dangerous and unnecessary overtake directly resulted in the victim suffering horrendous injuries, from which she may never fully recover,” Millen stated. “Thanks to the actions of police, Bukuru was quickly located and arrested. He falsely told police his car had been stolen in a robbery, and only when presented with the evidence did he admit to being the driver.”

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the severe implications of dangerous driving and the importance of accountability on the roads. While the sentence provides some closure to the victim, it cannot undo the lasting impact of the injuries sustained that day.