Van driver jailed for deliberately running over cyclist in London

Mark Okotie, 44, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The incident occurred during rush hour on March 20, 2024, on New Cross Road in Lewisham, South London.

According to evidence presented at Woolwich Crown Court, Okotie was delivering blood products to a hospital when he drove close to a cyclist. After the cyclist spat through Okotie’s open driver’s window at a traffic light, dashcam footage captured Okotie turning his steering wheel sharply to run over the individual.

The victim suffered multiple fractures and required numerous screws and plates in his pelvis and femur. During the trial, the defense noted that Okotie is a father of eight and a mentor to young people, describing the incident as a “momentary relapse in retaliation.”