Altrincham man jailed over horror crash

29 April 2019, 17:09 | Updated: 29 April 2019, 17:10

A drunk driver has been jailed after ploughing his BMW into a bus stop and lamppost, leaving his passenger with shattered bones.

34-year-old Mariusz Florczak of Ashley Road, Altrincham has been jailed after pleading guilty of drink driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Shocking footage of an intoxicated Florczak driving at excess speed in the Ardwick area on the morning of Saturday 19 January 2019 was shown in court to understand the full extent of his dangerousness.

Unable to keep the black BMW 335i on the road due to being over the limit and driving twice the speed limit, Florczak first collided with a bus stop on Stockport Road.

Shockingly, this didn’t stop the 3-series continuing along the pavement at speed until it met a lamppost, which eventually took the speed out of the vehicle.

Now facing the opposite direction, after two high impact collisions, the emergency services were alerted to the wreckage with a 38-year-old woman unconscious in the back seat.

When assessed by medical staff, the full extent of her injuries were revealed:

• Fractured pelvis
• Bilateral rib fractures broken in multiple places
• A bleed to her spleen
• Injury to her liver
• Blunt abdominal trauma
• Collapsed lung
• Spinal fracture
She may never fully recover from her injuries and uses a walking aid to get around.

Unable to deny he was the driver, Florczak told officers a car had come out of a side street and collided with him but CCTV soon proved his lie.

Today, Monday 29 April 2019, he has been jailed for two years.

On his release, he will face a five year disqualification from driving.

Police Constable Seamus Toal of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “If you ever even think about getting behind the wheel after you’ve had a drink, no matter how much, please remember this footage.

“For the next two years, Florczak will have plenty of time to think about what he’s done and the pain and suffering he caused his passenger but for her, every time she puts one foot in front of the other, every time she tries to move, she’ll be reminded of his foolish and quite frankly selfish actions that morning.

“I have no doubt that had he not collided with the bus stop and lamppost, he could have killed someone and it is only luck that has saved innocent members of the public.

“There really is nothing more to say other than: remember, none for the road.”