An American driver who fled the UK after driving into a nurse admitted he was vaping behind the wheel before the collision, court documents reveal.

Isaac Calderon, 23, was arrested in Texas last week almost a year after ploughing into Elizabeth Donowho in Shucknall, Herefordshire.

He faces being extradited to Britain for allegedly causing Ms Donowho serious injury by dangerous driving.

Court documents seen by The Telegraph show that Mr Calderon admitted his driving was “definitely not safe” during a police interview.

He added that he was not familiar with using a manual gearbox and did not understand British road signs, the papers reveal.

Ms Donowho was left unable to walk for six weeks, having suffered two broken ankles and a fractured sternum in the crash, which happened in July last year.

In an unsealed transcript of an interview with police following the crash, Mr Calderon added that he was not insured to drive his silver Honda Accord and had a headphone in at the time of the collision.

Witnesses said he was doing 70mph in a 50mph zone before crashing head-on into Ms Donowho on the A4103.

‘Really sorry’

When shown footage of his erratic driving by West Mercia Police, Mr Calderon repeatedly said “s---” and admitted his driving was “definitely not safe”.

He also said he had been vaping in the car and asked for a message to be passed on to Ms Donowho, telling officers: “Can you tell her I’m really sorry.”

The force previously said the suspect was not arrested immediately after the incident because he required medical attention for serious injuries.

When asked if he had any plans to leave the country in the near future, Mr Calderon said: “No. I don’t. I’m here until March.”

A warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear before magistrates on Dec 1 2023.

Police later confirmed he left the UK on Nov 25 and flew to the US, where he was tracked down to his family home in Humble, Texas.

Ms Donowho, of Malvern, Worcestershire, previously told journalists that West Mercia Police said Mr Calderon was working on matters “that might come under the Official Secrets Act”.

He was later described by the US embassy as a “private citizen”. It is understood Mr Calderon does not have diplomatic immunity.

‘Hopes for swift resolution’

The case echoes that of Harry Dunn, who was killed by a US diplomat’s wife in 2019.

Anne Sacoolas collided head-on with the 19-year-old’s motorbike while driving on the wrong side of the road for 350 yards after leaving RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.

The government employee claimed diplomatic immunity after the fatal crash and fled to the US. She was finally handed a suspended sentence in December 2022 for causing death by careless driving following an extradition row.

Mr Calderon is expected to appear again before a judge in Houston on Friday.

Radd Seiger, a spokesman for Ms Donowho, said: “It is important to remember that Mr Calderon is innocent of any charge until proven otherwise.

“That said, It is almost a year since Elizabeth suffered life-changing injuries after this crash and she hopes that the issue of Mr Calderon’s extradition is resolved swiftly.”