Police release footage showing speeding car before fatal Morecambe taxi crash
- Perry Richardson
- Oct 27
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 28
Police have released footage showing a stolen car being driven at dangerously high speeds around Morecambe shortly before it struck a taxi, tragically killing a passenger.
The video captures the Fiat Punto, stolen and driven by 23-year-old Jez Shepherd, travelling at extreme speeds through residential areas before colliding with a taxi on Westgate. The crash resulted in the death of 50-year-old passenger Wayne Putley, who was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Shepherd, who was high on drugs at the time, reached speeds of up to 90mph in a 30mph zone. The footage shows the vehicle swerving across lanes and narrowly avoiding other road users in the moments before the fatal impact.
Police said the footage highlights the “shocking recklessness” of Shepherd’s driving and the danger posed to the public. Officers confirmed that Shepherd had stolen the car earlier that day, driven it while disqualified, unlicensed, and uninsured, and made off without paying for fuel prior to the collision.
At Preston Crown Court, Shepherd pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while disqualified, unlicensed and uninsured, and aggravated vehicle taking. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Lancashire Police said the release of the footage serves as a warning about the consequences of dangerous and drug-impaired driving. The force added that the crash had a lasting impact on the victim’s family and the local taxi community.
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