24-year-old from Northampton sent to prison for causing ‘life-threatening’ injury by dangerous driving after taking cocaine
A 24-year-old Northampton man has been sentenced to prison after he was convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, while under the influence of cocaine in Milton Keynes.
Marius Rujanschi, aged 24, of Ellfield Court, Northampton, pleaded guilty to counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.
This was at a hearing at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court on November 29, 2023 following an investigation by Thames Valley Police (TVP).
Rujanschi appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court on Thursday (May 23) and was sentenced to a total of two years and four months in prison, a spokesperson for TVP said.
The 24-year-old was also disqualified from driving for three years, to commence at the end of his custodial sentence. He will have to take an extended retest to regain his licence.
On January 24 last year, Rujanschi was employed as a courier delivery driver and was driving a white Nissan Interstar panel van on the A428, Bedford Road.
He was driving from Turvey towards Lavendon when he lost control of his vehicle and drifted into oncoming traffic on the opposite lane.
His van collided heavily with a blue Ford Focus, causing “catastrophic damage” to both vehicles, says TVP.
The driver of the Ford Focus, a 44-year-old woman, was trapped and seriously injured, and spent more than four weeks in an induced coma in hospital.
Rujanschi tested positive for cocaine at the roadside and was arrested. He was charged with the offences on July 22, 2023.
Investigating officer PC Polly Rayner of the Roads Policing Unit said: “The victim in this case received terrible, life-threatening and life-changing injuries and endured a lengthy spell in hospital as a result of Rujanschi’s decision to drive after consuming cocaine.
“Drivers who have taken cocaine will, in the hours post-consumption, experience drowsiness and fatigue. Those who take drugs recreationally and make conscious decisions to drive while under the effects pose a high risk to other road users.
“Rujanschi will now serve a prison sentence as a result of those decisions.”