Fugitive on the run for 24 years finally jailed for deadly crash that killed two cyclists
Huseyin Ozkara Caught After Two Decades as Fugitive
Huseyin Ozkara, 53, has been locked up after evading justice for 24 years. The dangerous driver was extradited from France on March 27 following a cold case review by Cheshire police.
Ozkara appeared at Chester Crown Court on May 2 and was sentenced for causing the deaths of two cyclists, Bryan Kenealy, 69, from Woolton, Liverpool, and Roger Harris, 66, from Crewe.
Fatal Collision on a Sunny Autumn Ride
Back on November 2, 1999, Bryan and Roger were cycling together in Cheshire. Ozkara failed to stop at the junction of Wood Lane and willington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Willington Lane, near Clotton. He collided with another car, which then crashed into the two cyclists. Both men suffered fatal injuries and died shortly afterwards.
Fugitive Skips Court, Lives Under Alias in France
Found guilty on August 1, 2000, Ozkara was due to be sentenced in September that year but vanished, sparking a nationwide manhunt. Despite multiple efforts and a feature on BBC’s Crimewatch, he stayed under the radar—until French police spotted him in 2008 and 2009.
Detectives used cutting-edge social media sleuthing to track Ozkara, discovering he had been living illegally in France under a fake name. With the help of French authorities and the CPS, they secured his extradition to the UK.
Justice at Last—Families Find Closure
“Ozkara was always on our radar,” said DCI Amber Hodson, who led the investigation. “With advances in technology, our ability to hunt down criminals has quadrupled. No one can hide forever, no matter how long they run or where they hide.”
“To finally see him in court was bittersweet. Ozkara selfishly denied the families closure for decades and caused them immense pain. But now justice has been served.”
Roger’s daughter added in her statement:
“Ozkara took my dad from us and was too cowardly to face the consequences. My mum spent years trying to find him and sadly passed away 10 years after Dad’s death. We finally face him in court and get the justice my family deserves.”
Ozkara was sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison, bringing a tragic 24-year saga to an end.
