American Driver Charged with Dangerous Driving in UK Sets Up Fundraiser After FBI Contacts Him for Extradition Discussion

Issac Calderon, a 22-year-old American driver who fled the UK following a car crash that left a nurse with two broken ankles, has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe after being contacted by the FBI regarding his potential extradition. Calderon was charged with dangerous driving after colliding with nurse Elizabeth Donowho in July, leaving her unable to walk for six weeks. He was scheduled to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on December 1 in connection with the incident, but failed to show up and later boarded a commercial flight back to Houston, Texas on November 25. Detectives described him as a flight risk.

Calderon's father, Manuel Calderon, set up the fundraiser on GoFundMe, seeking $15,000 to cover legal fees. He explained that his son was able to return to the United States because the company that contracted him purchased his ticket. According to Manuel Calderon, his son had been offered a contract job in the UK due to his security clearance with the Texas National Guard, which was associated with the secret service.

Elizabeth Donowho, the nurse involved in the crash, suffered multiple fractures, including two broken ankles, a fractured sternum, and a broken hand. She was informed by the police that Calderon was considered a flight risk due to being from the US, prompting them to expedite the legal process. The extradition process has begun, and there are no issues surrounding diplomatic immunity in this case.

Manuel Calderon expressed concern for his son's wellbeing, stating that he still has problems with concussion and a fractured humerus as a result of the collision. He mentioned that his son reported his financial problems to the court, but they were not taken into consideration. The situation has escalated from a car accident to his son being labeled a government asset and being removed from the UK under diplomatic immunity, which Manuel Calderon asserts is not true.

The case has drawn comparisons to that of Anne Sacoolas, an American national who left the UK under diplomatic immunity after causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn in 2019. Sacoolas pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via videolink at the Old Bailey. Charlotte Charles, Harry Dunn's mother, expressed outrage at another US national leaving the country before facing the courts.

Radd Seiger, Elizabeth Donowho's spokesman, commented on the GoFundMe page, appealing to Issac Calderon to do the right thing and return to the UK without further delay. The US embassy described Calderon as a private citizen, and it has been confirmed that he was in the UK on a work visa.

Meanwhile, Issac Calderon's father stated that they have been contacted by the FBI regarding his son's potential extradition and that they do not have the funds to hire international legal counsel. They are a single-income family and not financially well-off. They have consulted with an attorney, whose fees are reasonable, but they still lack the necessary funds. The crowdfunding page has been set up to raise money for legal costs, as well as medical treatment for Issac Calderon's injuries. So far, they have raised approximately one-third of their $15,000 target.