A van driver who deliberately swerved into a cyclist and ran him over while transporting blood in London has been jailed.
Mark Okotie was driving a work van carrying blood deliveries through Lewisham to a hospital when he became involved in an altercation with a cyclist.
Rather than continuing his journey, Okotie used his van to deliberately and seriously injure the cyclist in the road rage incident.
Mark Okotie drove into the cyclist in Lewisham
Met Police
Footage from inside the van shows him steering into the cyclist on purpose, with one witness saying he thought he was trying to kill him.
The cyclist, a man in his 20s, was taken to hospital with multiple fractures to his pelvis and a fractured femur. He later required surgery to insert metal fixings into his pelvis and leg.
Dashcam footage from the van and other vehicles captured the moment the collision took place at around 5.40pm on March 20, 2024, the cyclist was knocked to the ground.
Witnesses to the incident told officers that they had seen a van swerve out of its lane and cross into the path of the cyclist before accelerating.
Mark Okotie drove into the cyclist
Met Police
In a victim personal statement, the cyclist described how the attack continues to affect him more than two years on.
He said: "I've always been quite an active person so that was the main impact, specifically riding my bike, running, and working out. I used to go jogging every morning before work but I've not been able to do that since.
"When I hear a van or a large vehicle coming up behind me when I'm cycling it can make me panic.
“The incident has made me more cautious of people. Before the incident I was social, I would go out and meet people and mingle. Now I try to avoid people when I am out and about, when I am in a group of people I don’t really know I now tend to keep myself to myself.
Mark Okotie drove into the cyclist
Met Police
“Looking forwards to the future, the incident will continue to have an impact on the things I used to do on a daily basis like running and certain exercise. There are lots of things that I would have liked to do but now I probably can’t do with my injuries, like skydiving.”
Detective Inspector Steven Andrews, who led the investigation, said: "Okotie was driving a vehicle carrying blood destined for hospital patients in need. Instead of continuing a journey intended to support potentially lifesaving treatment, he chose to place someone else's life at risk.
"We acted quickly to secure and review extensive dashcam and CCTV footage, while obtaining crucial witness evidence from those who saw the incident unfold. That meticulous investigative work allowed us to build a clear picture of events, leaving no doubt about Okotie's culpability.
"I hope this sentence provides a measure of justice for the victim and demonstrates that deliberate acts of violence on London roads will be robustly investigated and prosecuted."