Rougham – Lorry driver convicted of drink-driving following RTC on A14

A 44-year-old man has been convicted of drink-driving and banned from the roads, after a collision involving a lorry on the A14 at Rougham last week caused several hours of delays.

Lukasz Wojciechowski, of Clarendon Way, Colchester, appeared before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 21 March, where he was disqualified from driving for 16 months. This will be reduced by 16 weeks if he completes an approved course.

Wojciechowski was also fined £1,666 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £666 and costs of £80, making a total of £2,412 in financial penalties.

Police were called at 7.10am on Friday 20 March to reports that an HGV that was travelling westbound, had collided with the central reservation and gone into the eastbound carriageway.

The outside lanes going in both directions had to be closed immediately and then from just after 9am the eastbound carriageway was subject to a full closure to allow for recovery of the lorry.

The total closure eastbound was in place until around 1.10pm, from which point a one lane closure remained in place in both directions to allow National Highways to assess and repair the damage to the central reservation.

Wojciechowski failed a roadside breath test was arrested at the scene and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

He provided an evidential breath test of 46 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath (the legal limit is 35mg in 100ml) and was subsequently charged with driving with excess alcohol and remanded to appear at court the next day.

A number of drivers were witnessed by officers filming the scene of the collision as they drove past. Their vehicle details were taken down and they can expect to receive fixed penalty notices in the post.

PC Terry Harvey, of the Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU), said: “We have dealt with all manner of reckless driving in our roles as CVU officers and this ranks up there with the worst.

“To drive a heavy goods vehicle whilst over the drink-drive limit is inexcusable. You are in charge of a machine that could cause huge destruction, as witnessed in this case with the flattening of the central reservation barriers.

“It is extremely fortunate that no other vehicles were hit, as the consequences could have been devastating. We engage with lorry drivers on a near daily basis and the vast majority are law-abiding and will be as shocked as us by this incident.

“The collision caused hours of delays for other motorists on what is the main artery through our county, all because of one individual’s selfish behaviour.

“The consequences for Mr Wojciechowski are that he has now lost his livelihood along with his driving licence. No doubt he is now seriously regretting his actions on that morning.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to warn motorists about filming or photographing collision scenes when driving past. This is also an offence and can lead to further collisions and those whose details we recorded can also expect to receive enforcement action.”