A charitable DJ says he’s lucky to be alive after a car ploughed into his van just yards from where he was sitting and close to where his son died in a hit and run incident.
Stephen Osborn was working at the computer next to the window of his Pode Hole home just after 10.35am on Wednesday, when an out of control vehicle crashed into his van that was parked outside.
The car was driven by an 84-year-old man who had suffered a medical emergency while driving.
The Voice understands the driver, who police have not named, remains in hospital but his condition has improved since the collision.
Stephen believes that if his van had not been parked where it was, the car would have come careering into his house right where he was sitting.
He said: “If the van had not been there then it’s barely worth thinking about what would have happened.
“It could have come straight through the wall I was sitting right behind.
“I just heard a bang. By the time I got out some ladies were already looking after the man so I took to directing traffic.
“I was initially angry as I’d refurbished the van recently, but the main thing is that the gentleman is ok as he was the unfortunate person.
“From what I understand, he had passed out and these days the throttle pedals are so if he passed out the foot could have gone down and he sped into my van.
“His driver’s side hit my driver’s and looking at how bad the damage was, it’s a good job that he was unconscious when he hit the van.”
Police closed Bourne Road for four hours to clear the debris.
photograph of his son.
Stephen had spent December and January spending £4,500 refurbishing the van which he uses for his DJ act Mr Creature.
The act predominately raises money for charity.
He’s been told he’s raised over £30,000 during numerous events for the National Association of Bikers with a Disability fund and also regularly fund raises for When You Wish Upon a Star and several cancer charities.
None of his DJ equipment was in the van at the time and by coincidence he was in the process of buying another van when last week’s accident occurred.
The incident was particularly harrowing for Stephen as it occurred just down the road from where his son Tim was knocked from his cycle and killed in 2012.
He still believes motorists drive too fast through Pode Hole, though there is no suggestion that the driver involved in last week’s accident was breaking any speed limits.
“Tim died just 600 to 700 yards away on the same road,” Stephen continued.
“Many people who drive down here are definitely not sticking to the speed limit.
“You can hear them changing down gears and putting their foot down.
“That’s probably got worse as well now they’ve reduced the speed limit to 40mph from 50mph. It’s dangerous.
“But I don’t think the driver in this instance was speeding and the main thing is he’s ok and gets back to full health.”
